Braunschweig lost the derby against Hildesheim with 27:31. The Hildesheim Invaders have secured their fourth win of the season and ended a 37-year derby series. The game was hard-fought from the start and the Braunschweiger Lions showed early why league standings are often meaningless in such games. Ryon Thomas had a standout day and set the tone with a 46-yard run in the first drive. With the early lead, the hosts responded promptly. Nelson Hughes found wide receiver Philipp Dolezal with a 34-yard pass in the end zone. Paul Krause converted the extra point to tie the game at 7-7. The game remained hard-fought throughout. The Lions had clearly set their sights on the favorites and made life difficult for the Hildesheimers. At the same time, the Invaders produced an unusual number of errors. Fumbled balls, penalties, and missed chances prevented an early decision. The first major turning point came just before halftime. Linebacker Frank Häring knocked the ball out of Ryon Thomas' hand. Willem Vancompernolle reacted quickly and secured the fumble for the Invaders. The offense used the gift consistently. Nelson Hughes led his team over the field and found Lennart Stukenborg for a touchdown. With the 14-7 lead, Hildesheim went into the break. After the break, Hildesheim seemed to take control. The offense marched deep into the red zone, but had to settle for a field goal from Paul Krause after a failed pass attempt. However, the Lions remained dangerous. A blocked field goal attempt by the Invaders brought new life to the Braunschweiger sidelines. Again, it was Ryon Thomas who brought the hosts back into the game. With his runs, he repeatedly put the Invaders' defense in trouble and narrowed the gap to 17-14. In the final quarter, a real derby thriller developed. Nelson Hughes found Noah Bomba for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 24-14. However, the Lions responded again and narrowed the gap to 24-21. The momentum seemed to shift. In this phase, Matti Probst took responsibility. The running back broke through with a strong run and made it 31-21. The decision? Not yet. Because directly in the following kickoff return, Peter Anderson caused a shock moment from the Hildesheim perspective. He carried the ball over the entire field to a touchdown. Only the missed extra point prevented a complete catch-up and left the Invaders ahead 31-27. The final phase became a nerve-wracking affair. After Nelson Hughes threw a rare interception in the end zone, the Lions had one last chance to win. The Zuscha