Match report

HSV fall to 3-1 Nordderby defeat in Bremen

HSV lost 3-1 away to SV Werder Bremen in the Nordderby on Bundesliga matchday 30. Stage’s brace and a goal from Puertas cancelled out Glatzel’s strike for HSV.

On Saturday (18th April), Hamburger SV suffered a 3-1 defeat in the Nordderby away to SV Werder Bremen on Bundesliga matchday 30. Jens Stage put the hosts ahead in the 37th minute before Robert Glatzel swiftly levelled the game (41’). Stage bagged his brace in the second period (57’), with Philip Otele then shown a straight red card (79’). The Rothosen conceded once more when down to ten players via Cameron Puertas (90’+1).

Glatzel provides the immediate reponse ...

Merlin Polzin reacted to the heavy 4-0 defeat at the hands of VfB Stuttgart by making three changes to his starting line-up. Miro Muheim returned to replace Fabio Balde after serving his red card suspension. Daniel Elfadli moved to the bench, with Nicolas Capaldo taking his place. Robert Glatzel started in favour of Rayan Philippe in attack.
The opening stages belonged to the home outfit, who looked to establish attacking pressure and, not in small part due to the absence of Luka Vuskovic for HSV, repeatedly did so through long, high balls down the middle of the park. That was how the first shot of the match came about, as Justin Njinmah latched onto a flick on following Mio Backhaus’s punt up the pitch. Daniel Heuer Fernandes comfortably saved the striker’s effort on target (8’). Bremen controlled the first knockings, but it was the away side who had the ball in the opposition net after 14 minutes. Glatzel swept home from close range only to see the offside flag raised and the goal ruled out.

Hamburg worked their way more and more into the game after that, creating chances of their own. Warmed Omari set Ransford Königsdörffer off and running with a long ball from inside his own half, and the forward only just missed the far post with his strike. Shortly after, Fabio Vieira was to try his luck from distance after collecting a misplaced pass from Backhaus; the keeper parried easily, however. The hosts remained threatening, though, and went ahead on 37 minutes when Yukinari Sugawara flashed a cross into the box from the right flank, picking out Stage, all alone in the centre, and he nodded home for 1-0. The Rothosen reacted as well as they possibly could have to the setback and equalised in no time at all. Capaldo released Glatzel for the latest HSV attack from his own half before the centre-forward outmuscled Karim Coulibaly and fired into the far top corner from a tight angle to make it 1-1 at half-time.

... before Werder strike twice

Werder had the better of the opening exchanges in the second half, as they did in the first, but lacked sharpness in front of goal initially. That changed just before the hour mark, however, when Stage again netted. This time around, he struck a shot from the edge of the box into the right-hand top corner, which kissed the crossbar and left Heuer Fernandes with no chance. The home team continued to apply pressure and could have added to their lead soon after through Puertas, although his attempt from long range sailed high over the target (68’).

The challenge then became twice as difficult for the Rothosen when they were reduced to ten players following a foul by Otele on Puertas in the home team’s half. Referee Florian Exner awarded a red card after VAR review, but the decision certainly remained up for debate (79’). Just six minutes later, another red was flashed in the direction of Bakery Jatta. The wide player made his comeback from a thigh injury in Bremen and was allowed to remain on the pitch following another review by Exner, given only a yellow card for a foul just outside the box.

12 minutes of added time offered some hope for HSV when the fourth official’s board was raised, but the deciding goal arrived within a minute of that period. Heuer Fernandes’s clearance reached only Leonardo Bittencourt, who played the ball onto Romano Schmid and his backheel flick to Puertas set up the third goal, finished from inside the penalty area (90’+1). Schmid could have added a fourth with seconds to go but was denied from just several metres by the Hamburg stopper. The final whistle soon sounded to confirm a 3-1 loss in the Nordderby.

Match statistics

Werder Bremen: Backhaus – Sugawara, Pieper, Coulibaly, Deman – Lynen – Stage (67’ Bittencourt), Puertas – Njinmah (89’ Stark), Milosevic (61’ Grüll), Schmid

Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes – Capaldo (83’ Downs), Torunarigha, Omari – Mikelbrencis, Grönbaek (66’ Otele), Remberg, Muheim (75’ Jatta) – Vieira – Königsdörffer (75’ Stange), Glatzel

Goals: 1-0 Stage (37’), 1-1 Glatzel (41’), 2-1 Stage (57’), 3-1 Puertas (90’+1)

Attendance: 37,441 (sold-out)

Referee: Florian Exner

Yellow cards: Deman, Sugawara, Bittencourt, Grüll / Königsdörffer, Muheim, Jatta

Red cards: - / Otele