Karlsruher SC returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, securing a 4-0 victory over SV Darmstadt 98 at the BBBank Wildpark.

Shio Fukuda and Marvin Wanitzek gave the hosts a commanding advantage inside the opening 13 minutes, before Christoph Kobald and Kevin Wiethaup added further goals after the interval. The result ends Karlsruhe’s three-game losing streak in the league and provides a significant boost for Maximilian Senft’s side.

Karlsruhe made the perfect start to the contest and took the lead in the sixth minute. Marvin Wanitzek helped create the opportunity with a neat lay-off on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Fukuda to take aim from a half-left position and fire a low finish into the near corner beyond Marcel Schuhen.

The hosts continued to apply pressure and doubled their advantage just seven minutes later. Noel Eichinger’s effort initially caused problems for the Darmstadt goalkeeper, who was unable to hold the ball. Fukuda subsequently helped work the opportunity into Wanitzek’s path, with the Karlsruhe captain firing into the far corner to make it 2-0.

Darmstadt attempted to respond, but Karlsruhe remained organised and continued to look dangerous going forward. The visitors struggled to find a way through the hosts’ defence, leaving Florian Kohfeldt’s side with a significant task as they headed into the break two goals behind.

Karlsruhe carried their momentum into the second half and effectively put the contest beyond doubt five minutes after the restart. Kobald found the net in the 50th minute to extend the hosts’ advantage to three goals, leaving Darmstadt facing an uphill battle.

The home side showed little sign of easing off and added a fourth in the 65th minute through Wiethaup. With a four-goal cushion already established, Karlsruhe were able to manage the remainder of the contest without allowing Darmstadt a route back into the game.

The visitors searched for a consolation goal during the closing stages, but Karlsruhe held firm to preserve their clean sheet and complete an impressive afternoon at the BBBank Wildpark.

The result represents a major response from Senft’s side after consecutive setbacks, with the emphatic victory lifting Karlsruhe off the bottom of the table and offering renewed confidence ahead of their next fixture.

For Darmstadt, the defeat is a disappointing setback following their 3-1 victory over Energie Cottbus last weekend. Kohfeldt’s side were unable to reproduce that performance in Baden, with their defensive struggles in the opening stages ultimately proving costly.