13.05.2017
1-1! HSV take crucial point at Schalke
Never say die HSV fought their way to a 1-1 draw at the sold out Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday afternoon. In doing so they clung onto life in the top flight for now.
A dramatic scrap at the sold out Veltins-Arena (61,500) saw HSV grab a life-saving equaliser two minutes into injury time at the end of the second half by substitute striker Pierre-Micel Lasogga on Saturday afternoon (13.05). The penultimate game of the season ended in a 1-1 draw after Guido Burgstaller had given the home side the lead on 25 minutes. The crucial point ensured not only that HSV did not get relegated for the first time ever today, but also ensured that a victory at VfL Wolfsburg next Saturday would ensure top flight safety.
Bakery Jatta started his first game for HSV, played well but missed a gilt-edged chance to equalise seconds before the break.
Early setback…
HSV coach Markus Gisdol was without injured midfielder Hunt as well as suspended central defender Mavraj whose place in the team went to Jung while regular full back Ostrzolek reverted to defensive midfield. Hunt’s omission paved the way for a first start for 18 year old Jatta. What a game to make your first start in! The youngster played well but missed a real sitter on the stroke of half time as a pass from former Schalke favourite Holtby left him one on one with home keeper Fährmann, but dragged his shot wide, much to the disgust of the more than 6,000-strong contingent of travelling HSV fans. Schalke had more of the ball but struggled to break down the well-organised Hamburg defence. That changed on 25 minutes as the home side took the lead with their first real chance of the game as slack marking allowed Burgstaller to head the ball home to make it 1-0. They deserved their half time lead after Dutch striker Huntelaar struck a post in his final home game before leaving Gelsenkirchen. Burgstaller missed an open goal shortly afterwards. HSV went into the break with the feeling that they had greatly improved in the latter stages of the opening half.
What an ending! Substitute Pierre-Michel Lasogga dramatically made it 1-1 to ensure that his side cannot be automatically relegated.
Last minute equaliser
That impression continued after the break as they got forward at every opportunity while keeping things tight at the back. A shot from distance here a promising move there became the order of the day while the home side sat back on their slender lead hoping to hit the visitors on the break. Schalke had a few decent counter attacks none of which however were converted. HSV began to up the anti the longer the game progressed. Gisdol brought on attacking trio Waldschmidt, Gregoritsch and Lasogga in a final roll of the dice after news of what was happening at other grounds filtered through. It became clear that should HSV not take at least a point at Schalke they would have been relegated for the first time in their history. The Rothosen got stuck in and created further good scoring chances including two more sitters as first Holtby and then Wood lost out in one on one situations with home stopper Fährmann. The visitors stuck to their guns and were finally rewarded as Holtby set up Lasogga for a dramatic but well deserved equaliser two minutes into injury time (90+2). There was more drama to come too! Four minutes into injury time Kolasinac nodded home a corner by Geis, but luckily for the visitors the ball was ruled out of play on ist way into the box. Phew! It was an amazing end to an emotional encounter in Gelsenkirchen! Next Saturday (20.05.17, 3.30 PM) the Rothosen have to beat VfL Wolfsburg at the VW-Arena in the final game of the season if they are to stay up without having to endure another two-legged relegation play off nail biter. The Rothosen live to fight another day!
Match details:
Schalke 04:
Fährmann - Coke, Höwedes, Nastasic, Kehrer - Goretzka, Bentaleb (90.+1 Geis) - D. Caligiuri (61. Avdijaj), Kolasinac - Huntelaar (80. Stambouli), Burgstaller
HSV:
Mathenia - Diekmeier (85. Lasogga), Papadopoulos, Jung, Sakai - Janjicic (78. Gregoritsch), Ostrzolek - Jatta (72. Waldschmidt), Holtby, Kostic - Wood
Goals:
1:0 Burgstaller (25.), 1:1 Lasogga (90.+2)
Att:
61.500 (sold out)
Booked:
Nastasic (8.), Kolasinac
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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