19.08.2017
1-0 against Augsburg! HSV of to winning start
HSV began their 55th Bundesliga season in style, beating FC Augsburg 1-0 at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on matchday 1 on Saturday afternoon. The only goal of the game was scored by Nicolai Müller on 8 minutes, after which he was forced off injured after hurting his knee during his goal celebration.
On Saturday afternoon (19.08) the Rothosen beat FC Augsburg 1-0 in front of 49, 449 at the Volksparkstadion to kick off the new season on a winning note. Nicolai Müller opened the scoring on 8 minutes and that goal proved to be enough to beat the visitors from south west Bavaria.
Nicolai Müller scored the only goal in a winning start for his team.
Early breakthrough by Müller
HSV coach Markus Gisdol reacted to the dismal 1-3 DFB Cup defeat in Osnabrück last weekend by making several changes. Dennis Diekmeier and Rick van Drongelen made the starting line-up at the expense of captain Gotoku Sakai and Douglas Santos at right and left back respectively. Key fit again duo Albin Ekdal and Filip Kostic also began the game, with Ekdal alongside Walace in front of the back four while Gideon Jung played in central defence for Mergim Mavraj, who missed out with a neck problem. Kostic on the other hand returned to his favoured spot on the left wing and new signing Andre Hahn replaced Aaron Hunt behind the sole striker. The game began at a high tempo with both sides quickly switching from defence to attack and mounting counter attacks. It took only 8 minutes until the home fans had reason to0 celebrate, as Walace broke into the right of the visiting box from where he crossed the ball to the far post where Müller was lurking so somehow squeeze the ball between falling Augsburg keeper Marvin Hitz and his post. The celebrations were cut short howe3ver as Müller injured his left knee during the celebration and had to be replaced by Aaron Hunt (15.), with Hahn reverting to the right wing. The home side then sat back on their slender lead and allowed FCA more room, hoping for a chance to hit them on the break after they were forced to open up after the early goal. On one occasion Kostic missed a decent chance on 25 minutes. Augsburg like HSV were the only Bundesliga side to exit the DFB Cup at the first round stage the previous weekend and looked to sorely miss key players who had left them for pastures new during the summer break. To their credit they created decent scoring chances all of which were squandered (33., 43, 45.). The Rothosen somewhat fortunately led 1-0 at the break.
Body language: Kyriakos Papadopoulos threw himself into every tackle against Augsburg.
Goalless second half
Gisdol seemed to have found the right words for his team during the break and made no changes for the start of the second half. His side began brightly as they did at the start of the first half, displaying much more determined body language. There followed chances for Hunt (52.), Wood (54., 56.), Hahn (65.) and Walace (79.) none of which were taken, reminding fans of the major problem from last season as they survived by the skin of their teeth. Substitute Luca Waldschmidt then missed a last minute gilt-edged chance. Blasting over the goal from just inside the box while unmarked. In the end HSV won their first opening Bundesliga game of a new season since they beat Schalke 2-1 way back in the 2010/11 season, silencing the critical voices for now. Matchday 2 sees Gisdol and Co. Travel to meet Cologne next Friday night. That of course will literally be a completely new ball game.
Match details:
HSV:
Mathenia - Diekmeier, Papadopoulos, Jung, van Drongelen - Müller (14. Hunt), Ekdal, Walace, Kostic (61. Waldschmidt) - Wood (87. Schipplock), Hahn
FC Augsburg:
Hitz - Framberger, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Max - Koo, Baier - Schmid (77. Thommy), Gregoritsch (67. Cordova), Caiuby - Finnbogason
Goal:
1:0 Müller (8.)
Booked:
van Drongelen (37.), Papadopoulos (49.), Ekdal (80.), Diekmeier (90.+2) / Philipp Max (20.), Gregoritsch (28.), Hinteregger (72.)
Referee:
Daniel Siebert (Berlin)
Att:
49.449
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)
Advertisement