Friendly

HSV win friendly against Regionalliga side VfB Oldenburg

Hamburger SV followed up their 8-1 victory over Lower Saxony-based club TSV Elstorf with a second friendly win of the weekend, this time against Regionalliga side VfB Oldenburg. Dompe and Ramos were on the scoresheet in a 2-1 triumph for the Rothosen.

On Sunday, 6th July, Hamburger SV made it two wins from their two pre-season friendlies so far this year. After the 8-1 victory over Bezirksliga side TSV Elstorf on Saturday, the Rothosen faced a higher-ranked opponent on Sunday. Not only do ambitious Regionalliga club VfB Oldenburg play in a higher division, but they are also much further into their pre-season than HSV, with the hosts’ league campaign starting in July.

Daniel Elfadli (l.) and Joel Agyekum both started in Oldenburg.

A tricky start to the match …

The atmosphere at Oldenburg’s Marschweg-Stadion was one of excitement for the new season, as well as for this meeting with HSV. That made it the perfect setting for this pre-season friendly between the Regionalliga hosts and their Bundesliga visitors. The match, which was sold out, kicked off at 13:30 CEST in front of around 10,000 spectators, who witnessed a superb beginning to the match from the home side. The fourth-tier club, who are already three weeks into pre-season and in very good physical condition, made it an even start to the game. The Rothosen, who were five days into pre-season and playing their second friendly of the weekend, struggled – particularly going forward – early on, and in the first half as whole. In the 18th minute, HSV gave the ball away while attempting to mount an attack, allowing Oldenburg to counter. Striker Mats Facklam brilliantly hammered a strike into the far corner to give VfB the lead at the break.

Merlin Polzin’s team for the second half managed to turn the game around, earning HSV a 2-1 victory.

… but a successful comeback

Both sides made a number of changes at half time. The Rothosen made nine in one go, in order to give game time to as many players as possible. This new-look side were much improved from the first half, and HSV started to pose more and more of a threat. Just after the hour mark, Jean-Luc Dompe arrived on the pitch, and he was to have a decisive impact on the game. Ten minutes after coming on, the Frenchman curled a stunning equaliser into the far corner. Then, three minutes from time, he delivered a corner perfectly onto the head of Gui Ramos, who nodded the ball home from close range. This turned out to be the winning goal in a friendly which was thoroughly enjoyable for the fans at the Marschweg-Stadion. The players were also content after the final whistle. “We don’t want to read too much into the result, but we won, which is always good, and we learnt some good lessons,” said Robert Glatzel after the match. He was positive in his assessment of the game: “We can consider that as a good test for us.”

HSV first half: Heuer Fernandes - Mikelbrencis, Schonlau, Agyekum, Migalic - Elfadli, Rath, Remberg, Sahiti, Boakye - Glatzel

HSV second half: Raab - Hefti, Ramos, Bornschein, Migalic - Meffert, Suhonen, Poreba, Jatta, Boakye (63’ Dompe) - Yalcinkaya

Attendance: 10,000 (sold-out)

Goals: 1-0 Facklam (18’), 1-1 Dompe (72’), 1-2 Ramos (87’)