24.09.2017
0-3! HSV lose in Leverkusen
A brace of goals either side of halftime (20./83) by Kevin Volland and a further strike from by Alario (23.) saw the Rothosen lose their fourth consecutive Bundesliga game at the BayArena on matchday 6.
HSV ended their English week with out any points. Markus Gisdol’s men lost 0-3 away at Bayer Leverkusen in a matchday 6 encounter at the BayArena in Leverkusen on Sunday evening (24.09). Two first half goals through first Volland (20.) and then Alario (23.) inside three minutes saw the home side lead 2-0 at the break. Hamburg coach Gisdol tried to turn things around by making attacking substitutions but the visitors could only look on as Volland finally put the game to bed with his second goal after 83 minutes.
Kevin Volland opened the scoring with his side’s first real chance of the game.
Two goals in three minutes
Despite losing 0-3 at home to Dortmund in midweek, the Rothosen got a standing ovation for their undying efforts after the final whistle at the Volksparkstadion. Because of the long term injuries to key players Gisdol chose the same starting eleven to face Leverkusen. Like in that game HSV hustled Leverkusen early on, not allowing them to settle on the ball, forcing them to try their luck with long distance efforts. That went well for the opening 20 minutes too. Until then the home side had created just one chance which ended in Bender sending an effort over the bar of Hamburg stopper Mathenia (9.). His Bayer counterpart Leno had to be on his guard as he kept out a shot from around 20 metres out by recent signing Salihovic. Bayer then began a period of pressure during which they scored twice in only three minutes. Leon Bailey who had a superb game for Leverkusen crossed the ball onto the head of German international striker Volland who controlled the ball before firing the home side in front (20.). The Jamaican 20 year old midfielder then set up Bayer’s second goal as he found Alario with a pinpoint cross into the Hamburg box who only had a simple close range tap in to double Leverkusen’s lead (23.). That double whammy rocked the Rothosen who needed a little time to recover. A free kick from Salihovic ended in Hahn get a header in which came to nothing (31.). That was about the total threat of the visitors before the break. Then a superb move involving Bailey and Baumgartlinger would have made it 3-0 had Mehmedi not somehow managed to blast the ball over the bar from only three metres out. The home side deservedly took a two goal lead into halftime with them, leaving the maximum contingent of travelling HSV shaking their heads in disbelief.
Game over late on
Gisdol reacted by bringing on Jatta and Waldschmidt for Salihovic and Walace for the start of the second half and the visitors began to make ground towards the home goal. It took them around a quarter of an hour though before they created their first chance after the break as Holtby tested Leno with a shot from the edge of the penalty area (58.). With HSV having to throw everything forward, Leverkusen had more space to mount attacks of their own. One of those lightning quick breaks Aranguiz played a nice one two with Volland but failed to put the game to bed as he came off worst against keeper Mathenia (62.). The Hamburg keeper was in the spotlight again ten minutes later by giving away an indirect free kick for handling a back pass. The free kick from only 11 metres out was blasted into the wall twice by Bailey and Aranguiz. At the other end Hahn missed HSV’s best chance to pull a goal back (70.). The Rothosen lacked penetration late in he game and seven minutes from the end conceded a third and final goal as Volland completed a brace from only five metres out to make the final score 3-0 to Leverkusen. Gisdol’s next challenge comes on matchday 7 as the Rothosen host bitter northern rivals Werder Bremen at the Volksparkstadion next Saturday evening (29.09.17, 6.30 PM). Surely only a win will do from that game.
Match details:
Bayer Leverkusen:
Leno - Henrichs, Tah, Bender, Wendell - Mehmedi (68. Brandt), Baumgartlinger - Alario (85. Pohjanpalo), Aranguiz (84. Kohr) - Bailey, Volland
HSV:
Mathenia - Diekmeier, Papadopoulos, Mavraj, Sakai - Walace (46. Waldschmidt), Jung, Salihovic (46. Jatta) - Hahn (82. Ito), Wood, Holtby
Goals:
1:0 Volland (20.), 2:0 Alario (23.), 3:0 Volland (83.)
Booked:
Wendell (41.), Aranguiz (75.) / Walace (22.), Papadopoulos (26.)
Referee:
Dr. Robert Kampka (Mainz)
Att:
27,601
No show from HSV
HSV head coach Markus Gisdol was forced into changing his team ahead of the trip south. Long term injured first choice keeper Adler was still recovering from a broken rib before his understudy Mathenia also got injured and was ruled out of the matchday 31 encounter. Up stepped under-21 stopper Mikel to the fray. Key winger Kostic who scored the only goal of the game between the two sides on matchday 14 was suspended so his place went to Austrian Gregoritsch. Ostrzolek got the nod at left back ahead of Douglas Santos while Walace replaced Jung in defensive midfield. Gisdol made four changes in all to the side which lost 1-2 at home to relegation certainties Darmstadt last time out. The new-look formation struggled early on. Augsburg created three top scoring opportunities within the opening 20 minutes. New keeper Mikel managed to keep out efforts by Kohr and Schmid and was grateful to be able to watch a Stafylidis free kick fizz narrowly wide of target. On 22 minutes the visitors were in luck again as an Altintop effort struck the left hand post with Mikel beaten. It seemed to the capacity crowd including yet another sold out contingent of travelling HSV faithful that it weould only be a matter of time before the home side would break the deadlock and they did as Altintop rounded off two counter attacks on 28 and 41 minutes to make the halftime score 2-0 to Augsburg. Mickel was powerless on both occasions and was HSV’s best man before the break.
Deserved defeat
Lasogga came on for Gregoritsch and Jung replaced Walace at the start of the second half as Gisdol opted for a two-pronged attack. Later Jatta replaced Ostrzolek. The ploy simply didn’t work as the Rothosen had more of the ball than in the previous half but were completely harmless in front of goal. Augsburg played a much more intelligent game and struck the woodwork again through Baier. That superior intelligence was underlined late on as Augsburg struck twice through Max and substitute Bobadilla (76., 85.). It was game over for HSV who failed to threaten until the 84th minute for Lasogga and Wood to miss chances. It was simply not good enough and the Rothosen remain just one point above the relegation play off spot in the table. Matchday 22 sees Gisdol and Co. host Mainz who are level on points but two places better due to a superior goal difference. Only a win will do as the teams lock horns at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg next Sunday (07.05.17, 3.30 PM).
Match details:
FC Augsburg:
Hitz - Verhaegh, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Stafylidis - Kohr, D. Baier (88. Callsen-Bracker) - Schmid, Halil Altintop (80. Bobadilla), Max (87. Ji) - Finnbogason
HSV:
Mickel - Diekmeier, K. Papadopoulos, Mavraj, Ostrzolek (63. Jatta) - Sakai, Walace (46. Jung) - Gregoritsch (46. Lasogga), Holtby, Hunt - Wood
Goals:
1:0 Altintop (28.), 2:0 Altintop (41.), 3:0 Max (76.), 4:0 Bobadilla (85.)
Booked:
Baier (48.) / Mavraj (33.), Gregoritsch (44.), Ostrzolek (51.), Holtby (72.)
Referee:
Manuel Gräfe (Berlin)
Att:
30.660 (sold out)
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