Leon Andreasen handball gives Hannover win at Cologne

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:11 am
Leon Andreasen after scoring the only goal of the game with via a handball.
Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images

Hannover picked up a crucial yet controversial 1-0 win from their trip to Cologne on Sunday with Leon Andreasen's disputed goal the only difference between the two sides.

Andreasen turned the ball in at the far post with his left arm in the 38th minute, but despite Cologne's protests and requests for the Hannover defender to confess, the officials allowed the goal to stand.

It inevitably raised Cologne's blood pressure and a tense second half ensued with plenty of clashes, even more so as the hosts' frustration levels rose with Ron-Robert Zieler making a string of fine saves to deny Anthony Modeste an equaliser.

Zieler repeated his heroics late on to deny Modeste before Frederik Sorensen headed wide and Zieler again turned a Modeste effort wide as Hannover held on to move out of the bottom three.