Freiburg have picked up three important points in their fight against relegation from the Bundesliga with a 2-1 away victory over Hannover.

The visitors went took the lead as early as the 12th minute when Jonathan Schmid shot home after being released by Jan Rosenthal.

Seven minutes later Christian Schulz came close to equalising for Hannover with a header from a Szabolcs Huszt cross.

The hosts did restore parity just after the half-hour mark when Mohammed Abdellaoue slotted in a penalty conceded by Daniel Caligiuri for a handball offence.

Caligiuri could have redeemed himself in the early minutes of the second half, but was foiled twice by Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.

It was Jan Rosenthal who scored what proved to be the eventual winner for Freiburg in the 55th minute, as he fired in after being set up by Max Kruse.