Team

Effort and elegance – Sambi Lokonga marks a special debut

He came, he scored, he shone: Sambi Lokonga enjoyed a memorable evening at the Volksparkstadion against 1. FSV Mainz 05, combining hard work with some exciting play and producing a hugely impressive display.

The 4-0 home win over a Mainz side competing in Europe this season delivered plenty of memorable moments – and one of them belonged to Sambi Lokonga. Making his first start for HSV, the midfielder repaid the faith shown in him by head coach Merlin Polzin in the best possible way. Just six minutes in, Lokonga pushed forward from midfield to react quickest after Giorgi Gocholeishvili’s shot came back off the post, calmly slotting the rebound into the bottom corner past Mainz keeper Ries. It was the perfect start for the Rothosen, who looked sharp from the off, showing fight, defensive discipline and plenty of pace and attacking intent.

Lokonga played a key role in it all, linking defence and attack with his footballing intelligence and technical quality. He executed his role to perfection – and his early opener set the tone for HSV’s best performance of the season so far. But when asked about his decisive contribution, the 25-year-old was quick to shift the praise to his teammates: “We executed the game plan really well, stuck to the instructions and put in a strong performance. Of course, I’m happy that my goal helped the team on the way to victory.” His goal laid the foundations for an electric evening at a sold-out Volksparkstadion, where the fans braved the cold and created a phenomenal atmosphere. “The noise was incredible,” Lokonga said afterwards, adding with a grin: “Honestly, it was louder than in the Premier League.”

And while he was impressed by the crowd, the feeling was mutual. Lokonga impressed the HSV faithful with his blend of quality and commitment – showing finesse on the ball but also throwing himself into challenges and covering every blade of grass. It was the perfect mix of effort and elegance, and a debut performance that ticked every box. Filling the gap left by the suspended Fabio Vieira, Lokonga added his own twist to the midfield setup: “Fabio is Fabio – I can’t replace him one-to-one because I’m a different kind of player,” he explained after the game. “I just want to bring my qualities to the team and play my own game in a way that helps us most.” It was a debut to remember and one of the standout stories from a special night at the Volkspark.