Match Preview
22.11.19
Dresden seek first away win in Hamburg
East German giants Dynamo Dresden are the visitors to the Volksparkstadion Saturday lunchtime (kick-off 1:00pm CET) as HSV aim to extend Dynamo’s winless run away from home.
The international break is over and, after a 4-week absence, football is returning to the Volksparkstadion. Two away games in a row followed by the international break mean that the Rothosen have had to wait almost a month to avenge their second-round cup exit to VfB Stuttgart, their last game on home turf, and as such are eagerly entering the home straight before the Christmas break. Five games remain between the November international break and the final game before Christmas, with Dieter Hecking and the HSV fans hoping that positive results in all five games will set the Rothosen up well going into the New Year. With the previous league game seeing 57,000 attendees at the Volksparkstadion, 50,000 are expected to pack the rafters on Saturday lunchtime for the visit of Dynamo Dresden. The traditional East German powerhouse currently find themselves in the bottom two despite beating fellow strugglers Wehen Wiesbaden last time out, but cannot be underestimated and will provide a stern test tomorrow afternoon, putting their bodies on the line to emerge from the Volksparkstadion with an unexpected result.
Focus on the visitors
Formed in 1953 in former East Germany, Dynamo Dresden developed into one of the most successful sides that East Germany had to offer in the Cold War period. Dynamo were eight-time East German champions and won the East German Cup seven times, with only their namesakes Dynamo Berlin winning the championship more often in the former Communist state. The team from the Elbe city, the river that finds its source in Hamburg, enjoyed its most successful period in the 1970s, reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup on four occasions. The fall of the Berlin Wall saw Dynamo added to a reunified German Bundesliga, before relegation followed four years later in 1995. After a short stint in the fourth division in the late 90s, the Black and Yellows have flitted between the second and third tiers, and have resided in the 2. Bundesliga since July 2016.
Fifth and fourteenth-placed finishes followed, with current manager Cristian Fiél replacing Maik Walpurgis in February 2019 and guiding Dynamo to twelfth at the end of the 2018/19 season. The new campaign has not been quite so rosy, and the Black and Yellows find themselves two points above last-placed Wiesbaden, a side that they beat somewhat fortuitously last time out. Fiél’s charges are by no means good travellers, and have only been able to collect two points on the road so far, away at Darmstadt and fellow strugglers Bochum. As always in the second division though, nothing is certain and, with a win, the Black and Yellows could climb as high as 11th in the table.
Opposition scouting report
Dresden’s problems encompass both facets of the game; they have conceded the fourth-most in the league and have scored the joint least. Perhaps going forward poses the greatest challenge for Fiél, as his side have only scored two goals in their previous five league games, and have only had 145 efforts on goal the entire season, tied for last position in the league with SSV Jahn Regensburg. Having said that, only VfB Stuttgart (68%) have seen more of the ball than the Black and Yellows (58%) in the 2. Liga, suggesting lots of ineffective passing in defence and midfield, lacking the quality to bring the ball into dangerous positions and muster an effort on goal.
Fiél has tinkered with the formation over the past few games, making it hard for the HSV coaching staff to predict how tomorrow’s opponents will line up. The last encounters have seen the Dresden manager switch between a 3-4-1-2, 3-4-2-1 and 3-5-2, with the only constant being the three at the back. However, there are few doubts about the main threat for the team from further down the Elbe. Moussa Koné arrived from FC Zürich in January 2018 and became the Black and Yellows go-to striker within a number of weeks, and has provided the majority of his employer’s attacking threat ever since. The Senegalese’s pace and directness has already brought 6 of Dresden’s 14 goals in the league, and will be a handful for the Hamburg defence if given the service on Saturday lunchtime.
Harnik and Hunt target return as Hinterseer sits out
The international break came at a good time for two of HSV’s most experienced campaigners in Martin Harnik and Aaron Hunt, giving the pair time to overcome thigh and muscular problems respectively. Dieter Hecking indicated at Friday’s press conference that both would be available for selection on Saturday, easing the 54-year-old’s selection worries to some extent. However, Hecking will have to do without both Xavier Amaechi and Lukas Hinterseer, who picked up thigh problems whilst away on international duty. Bakery Jatta will also sit out for the first of his two-game suspension after his straight red card in Kiel. The Rothosen’s last league game at the Volksparkstadion saw a 6-2 success against VfB Stuttgart, yet two draws in succession against Wiesbaden and Kiel meant that Arminia Bielefeld overtook Hamburg as 2. Liga leaders. Hecking and co. will be hoping for a win to keep the pressure on Bielefeld and start a run of positive results in the five remaining games before the Christmas break.
Dieter Hecking’s thoughts on the game: "Dynamo aren't as bad as the table would make out. In my eyes, they're one of the better footballing teams in the second division. We have seen so many times in football that a team near the top of the league loses to a team near the bottom. For me it’s incredibly important that we merely concentrate on ourselves and produce our best performance."
Fun facts
Hamburger SV won both games against Dynamo Dresden last season by one goal to nil. The Rothosen are unbeaten against Dynamo in nine games, and in that time have never conceded more than one goal against the Black and Yellows.
This game represents the best home side against the worst away side in the division. Hamburg have collected 16 of a possible 18 points at home, whilst Dresden have only picked up two points on their travels.
Hamburg have scored 19 goals through new signings, five more than the whole Dresden team combined. Timo Letschert became the seventh new signing to get off the mark for the Rothosen with his last-minute equaliser in Kiel.
Where can I watch the game?
Poland/Portugal: Eleven Sports 2
Norway/Sweden/Denmark/Faroe Islands: Viaplay
Iran, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Djibouti, Eritrea, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania: BeIn Sports 5HD
Czech Republic/Slovakia: Digi Sport 2
Netherlands: Fox Sports 4
Israel: Charlton Sport 3
Romania: Digi Sport 4
Greece: Cosmote Sport 8 HD
Turkey: S Sport 2