3-1! Home Win Against Gladbach Featuring Stunning Goals and a Maiden Bundesliga Strike

HSV head coach Polzin made three changes to his starting line-up following Sunday's 3-1 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt. Bornauw, El Ouahdi and Daka came into the side in place of Torunarigha, Lemke and Moffi. The visitors created the first opportunity of the match when Machino, played in by Hack, fired narrowly wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the penalty area (4'). The Rothosen then grew into the game and, following a misplaced back pass from Scally, Daka had a golden opportunity to put HSV ahead. However, the number 27 was denied by goalkeeper Batz in a one-on-one situation (8').

Just three minutes later, Muheim did better – and in spectacular fashion! Just as he had done away at TSG Hoffenheim and at home against VfB Stuttgart, the Swiss international took aim from around 30 metres out, slightly left of centre, and unleashed a thunderous strike. The ball flew into the top-right corner at 129 kilometres per hour to make it 1-0 to HSV with an absolute wonder goal! Buoyed by their lead, HSV quickly created another opportunity. Following a series of neat short passes, El Ouahdi found himself through on goal in the right-hand side of the penalty area, with only Batz to beat, but the goalkeeper came out on top (14'). Bornauw then cleared an Itakura header off the line (20'), before Heuer Fernandes produced a fine save to keep out a powerful effort from Uno (21'). The latter was involved again ten minutes later when his low cross from the left almost curled into the far corner.

The game continued to swing from end to end in the 36th minute. First, Möller Wolfe missed a great opportunity to extend HSV's lead, shooting straight at Batz from around eleven metres. Moments later, Neuhaus tried to catch Heuer Fernandes off his line with an attempt from the halfway line, but the goalkeeper was not caught out. Just before the break, Möller Wolfe was once again played through on goal, this time by a wonderful pass from Grönbaek. However, despite finding himself just yards from goal, he could not get the ball past Batz (43'). Instead, it was the Foals who found the equaliser. Scally picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and, using his weaker left foot, fired into the bottom-left corner to make it 1-1 (44'). The half-time whistle followed immediately afterwards.

Both teams returned for the second half unchanged. However, Gladbach were reduced to ten men from the 49th minute onwards when Itakura, already on a yellow card, received his marching orders for a foul on Grönbaek near the halfway line. HSV seized the opportunity to take control of the match. Muheim first sent a free-kick from a promising position over the bar (53'), before Daka narrowly failed to connect with an overhit Grönbaek cross at the far post (56'). Then the Volksparkstadion erupted!

The Rothosen pinned Gladbach back around their penalty area. Daka narrowly missed Grönbaek's low cross in the box, but young Nandja was perfectly placed to follow up. The youngster calmly turned the ball over the line from just a few yards out with the inside of his foot, making it 2-1 and scoring his first-ever Bundesliga goal (60')! Shortly afterwards, Bornauw made amends for an earlier mistake in the build-up by getting a crucial foot in to prevent Scally from equalising inside the penalty area (66').

Then HSV struck again, with devastating efficiency. Grönbaek found himself completely unmarked more than 25 metres from goal, centrally positioned, and unleashed a spectacular strike into the bottom-right corner. It was 3-1, and the game was effectively decided (70')!

HSV were unable to capitalise on a mistake by Chiarodia in the 78th minute. In the ensuing scramble inside the penalty area, Batz remained alert and saved an inaccurate effort from Daka, which had also taken a deflection off Chiarodia. Then, almost out of nowhere, Gladbach threatened at the other end. Neuhaus first produced a tame effort from the edge of the penalty area (79'), before Mohya curled a shot from the left-hand side of the box just centimetres wide of the top-right corner (80'). In the 85th minute, Amoako and El Ouahdi both tried their luck, but neither managed to find the target. Neuhaus then missed an opportunity to make it 3-2 when he found himself one-on-one with Heuer Fernandes.

Shortly before the final whistle, academy graduate Bissi Mouelle came on as a substitute to make his Bundesliga debut, providing another unforgettable moment for HSV's youth set-up on an already memorable evening.

And that was that at the Volksparkstadion! The home crowd celebrated the 3-1 victory in full voice, while also beginning to build the atmosphere ahead of the upcoming Nordderby against their northern rivals on the next Bundesliga matchday, on 22 November. Before then, HSV will face Hajduk Split in a friendly on 15 November during the international break.