Match report

Hamburg lose first game of the year against Freiburg

On matchday 16 of the Bundesliga season, Hamburger SV were defeated 2-1 by SC Freiburg. After Luka Vuskovic gave the Rothosen the lead, Vincenzo Grifo and Igor Matanovic scored to condemn HSV to another loss on the road.

On Saturday (10th January), Hamburger SV were defeated 2-1 in their away match against SC Freiburg on matchday 16 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. In front of 34,700 spectators at a sold-out Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, HSV started the game cautiously and handed their opposition the initiative. SCF were unable to put the Rothosen to the sword during their early period of dominance, however. Daniel Heuer Fernandes was a particular standout for the visitors on a few occasions, and the scoreline still read 0-0 at the interval. Directly after the restart, Luka Vuskovic gave HSV the lead, heading home from Miro Muheim’s corner. Shortly afterwards, Daniel Elfadli was given his marching orders for a foul committed in his own box. Vincenzo Grifo converted the resulting penalty to restore parity (53’). In the 83rd minute, substitute Igor Matanovic bagged the winner for the home side. HSV were unable to hit back before the end of the match, even with 11 minutes of added time.

Early problems for HSV…

Head coach Polzin made four changes to the starting XI for the first game of the new year. Mikelbrencis, Philippe, Königsdörffer and Balde were replaced by Jatta, Vieira, Dompe and Downs. The latter marked his Bundesliga debut for the Rothosen, having only joined the club last week. The hosts had the upper hand in opening stages of the game and went close to taking the lead in the 7th minute. Ginter’s cross from the right flank missed everyone and flew narrowly wide of the goal. Freiburg kept the pressure on the visitors and created another opportunity a couple of minutes later. Suzuki put in a cross towards an onrushing Kübler, whose shot from six yards out crashed off the bar. Hamburg’s keeper Heuer Fernandes was at the centre of the action during this period of play. In the 14th minute, he parried Suzuki’s shot away from goal and quickly gathered the ball to neutralise any danger. Five minutes after that, he was tested again as Treu stabbed a ball through to Höler who was unable to beat Heuer Fernandes one-on-one. The next big chance also fell to the home side, with Ginter pushing forwards in search of an opener once again in the 23rd minute. The defender charged down the left wing and battled his way into the six-yard box, where he shielded the ball from HSV centre-back Vuskovic. Höler latched onto his pass and got an outside-of-the-boot shot off, but Heuer Fernandes was in the right place at the right time once more.

After the keeper quickly received some treatment, the Rothosen began to grow into the game and found themselves in opposition territory more frequently. In the 38th minute, Sambi Lokonga led the charge of their first promising counterattack before playing a ball through to Downs. The new signing was unable to utilise the opportunity accordingly, however, and was bested by an onrushing Atubolu. HSV played with more and more courage and had another chance just before the half-time whistle. Fabio Vieira spotted Capaldo’s run, though the latter could only find the side netting with his shot. A few moments later, Fabio Vieira’s free kick looked destined to nestle in the back of the net, but Freiburg’s keeper was equal to his effort and diverted it behind for a corner.

…and a combative second half

Merlin Polzin’s side emerged unchanged after the interval and drew first blood in the match directly from kick-off. A pinpoint corner from Muheim found Vuskovic who headed goalwards. Höler appeared to clear the ball off the line, but the goal was awarded and Hamburg went in front. It was Vuskovic’s third goal of the season, and Hamburg’s first from a corner in 2025/26. The Rothosen’s celebrations were cut short, though, with Freiburg ruthlessly hitting back straightaway. After breaking quickly, Höler was brought to ground by Elfadli in the box, and referee Gerach awarded a penalty. The situation became particularly dire for Hamburg when perpetrator Elfadli was booked for the second time and sent off. Freiburg’s record goalscorer Grifo stepped up and coolly converted the penalty to make it 1-1. Following the hectic period, Polzin responded to the numerical disadvantage with some substitutions.

Despite being a man down, Hamburg created a promising opportunity in the 82nd minute of the match. Captain Capaldo won the ball back in his own half and drove into opposition territory, where he poked a pass through to Rössing-Lelesiit. The Norwegian laid it off to Muheim, whose low, driven effort was saved by Freiburg’s keeper. Directly after that, the hosts compounded HSV’s misery in controversial circumstances. After a coming together between Manzambi and Torunarigha, the ball fell to substitute Beste who put it on a plate for fellow substitute Matanovic. The Hamburg-born striker steered the ball under the bar to give his side a 2-1 lead. It was a bitterly disappointing sucker punch for the Rothosen who had been applying pressure and creating chances despite being down to ten men. In the end, even eleven minutes of added time weren’t enough for HSV to find an equaliser, and the Rothosen succumbed to an undeserved 2-1 defeat despite a spirited performance.

Match stats:

SC Freiburg: Atubolu – Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart (46' Jung), Günter – M. Eggestein, Manzambi (90+4' Höfler), Treu (79' Beste), Y. Suzuki, Grifo (65' Osterhage) - Höler (65' Matanovic)

Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes – Capaldo, Vuskovic, Elfadli – Jatta (80' Gocholeishvili), Sambi Lokonga (90+2' Königsdörffer), Remberg, Muheim – Vieira (79' Ramos), Downs (78' Rössing-Lelesiit), Dompe (57' Torunarigha)

Goals: 0-1 Vuskovic (48'), 1-1 Grifo (53' - penalty), 2-1 Matanovic (83')

Attendance: 34,700 (sold-out)

Referee: Timo Gerach

Yellow cards: Treu, Lienhart, Osterhage / Elfadli, Vuskovic, Heuer Fernandes, Polzin, Rössing-Lelesiit

Red cards: Elfadli