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Match Preview

16.09.19

HSV gears up for 102nd Hamburg derby

Hamburg is ready. On Monday evening (8:30pm CEST), the 102nd Hamburg derby will kick-off at the Millerntor Stadion, the home ground of FC St. Pauli. HSV wants to continue its good form, but know that it will be a difficult game against a Pauli side who have been improving in recent weeks.

The international break is over and league football is back. The city of Hamburg has been looking forward to the 102nd derby between Hamburger Sport-Verein and FC St. Pauli since the fixtures were announced at the end of June. However, the excitement on the HSV side was checked last Wednesday, as right-back Jan Gyamerah broke his left fibula in training. A team photo was planned for Wednesday afternoon, but, on the wishes of the whole team, the appointment was cancelled, with none of Gyambo’s teammates feeling up to taking the photo without one of the most valued members of the squad. Another sign of the growing cohesion and solidarity within the HSV camp, after the way that the management team, playing squad and fans stood behind Bakery Jatta, whilst the winger was the subject of accusations from various media outlets. Dieter Hecking will be hoping that the solidarity within the squad carries itself onto the pitch this evening, with his charges needing to match the intensity of their hosts to secure a much sought-after derby win.

Focus on our hosts

Founded in 1910, FC St. Pauli plays its home games at the Millerntor Stadion, deep in the heart of the St. Pauli neighbourhood in the centre of Hamburg. After a number of years of highs and lows in the early 2000s, with a visit to the 1. Bundesliga in 2001/2002 being followed by the club nearly going insolvent in 2003, the ‘Brown and Whites’ have established themselves in the second tier of German football in the past decade. Having been relegated from the Bundesliga in May 2011, the 2019/20 season represents the 9th season in a row in the second division for ‘Pauli’.

A disappointing end to the previous campaign was carried over into the new season, with a mere point after three league games. However, a 2-1 win against northern neighbours Holstein Kiel and a 3-3 draw last time out against Dynamo Dresden have somewhat steadied the ship for new manager Jos Luhukay. The former Hertha Berlin and Sheffield Wednesday manager has needed some time to implement his ideas, having only arrived in August and, similarly to city rivals HSV, having seen an upheaval with the squad over the summer transfer window, with eleven departures and eleven arrivals. Luhukay will be looking to improve on the club’s current 14th position in the table with a first derby win under his tutelage, and second home win in a row.

Dangermen

Before Matchday 6 in the 2. Liga began, Norwegian Mats Möller Daehli was statistically the most dangerous player in the division. With one goal and five assists in his first five appearances, the former Cardiff and Freiburg man is the creative hub for the Brown and Whites, looking to find space in the gaps between the midfield and defensive lines. Last time out Möller Daehli was particularly effective, providing all three assists as Pauli raced into a 3-0 lead at Dresden. A second half comeback from Dynamo denied the Hamburg side all three points, but it was certainly a strong performance from the Norwegian, who was voted as Kicker’s Player of the Week, and was the first Pauli player to record three assists in the same match since Sebastian Maier in 2016.

Möller Daehli has struck up a particularly strong partnership with Dimitrios Diamantakos, providing two assists for the Greek striker against Dresden. Having moved to Karlsruher SC from his native Greece in 2015, the 26-year-old failed to truly establish himself in German football during stops in Karlsruhe and Bochum, before signing in Hamburg in January 2018. Twelve goals in 35 appearances have followed whilst at the Millerntor Stadion, and the Greek wants to improve this tally this season, as the club’s go-to goalgetter. Rick van Drongelen and Gideon Jung will have a difficult time keeping the Greek striker under lock-and-key this evening.

Right-back berth open as Gyamerah begins recovery

Jan Gyamerah’s injury on Wednesday was a difficult blow for the squad, with the new signing having integrated himself quickly into life at Hamburg, having played all six of the club’s games so far this season, developing into a well-valued member of the squad on and off the pitch. However, his absence provides an opportunity for another member of the squad to make the position their own, with Dieter Hecking unable at Sunday’s press conference to confirm his thoughts on who would fill that berth this evening. Whilst a long break awaits Gyamerah, two players have entered the fray and give manager Hecking a selection headache further up the field, with Aaron Hunt having overcome his adductor problems and Martin Harnik proving his fitness since his deadline day signing from northern neighbours Werder Bremen. 

VfB Stuttgart’s 3-2 victory on Saturday saw HSV slip into second place, but a fifth win in a row in the league would propel the Rothosen back to the top of the league table. A win at the Millerntor would also be the fourth success on the road in the first four outings of the new campaign, when including the extra-time victory over Chemnitz in the first round of the DFB Pokal. The first two away league matches could not have gone much better in an attacking sense, with four goals scored both in Nuremberg and Karlsruhe, a record that the blue, white and black half of Hamburg will be looking to continue this evening. Four is also the magic number for Hamburg midfielder Sonny Kittel, who sits joint top of the goalscoring table in the German second tier, with four goals to his name so far. The former Ingolstadt man will be looking to continue his hot streak and score his first Hamburg derby goal, having scored eight goals in his past seven 2. Liga appearances for Ingolstadt and HSV. 

Manager Hecking’s thoughts on tonight’s clash

About the mentality of his squad: “We haven’t planned anything specific (before the derby) because we’re certain that the players know what is at stake and will be ready to go at 8:30pm. I don’t think we need to motivate the players too much, because there’s also the danger that you go over the top and make too much of a big deal out of it. We’ve got a good mix of excitement, calmness and concentration in the team.”

On the opponents St. Pauli: “St. Pauli have got a very interesting squad with a good mix of players and an experienced manager in Jos Luhukay. I think they have more quality in their ranks than the table would suggest, you could see that from the game against Dresden last time out, particularly the first half. We’re going to have to work very well with and without the ball; everyone is going to have to do their job.”

Interesting Facts

Whilst HSV have had the most shots so far in the league (90), as well as the most on target (37), St. Pauli have had the least amount of shots in the league (53), as well as the least amount on target (15).

Last time out against Dresden, Pauli were 3-0 up inside 29 minutes. It was the earliest 3-0 lead for the club for 16 years, with the Brown and Whites going 3-0 in front against MSV Duisburg in May 2003 after 13 minutes. 

HSV have the most dangerous attack in the league, scoring 13 goals so far, the Rothosen’s best attacking start to the season since 2009/10, when they had 15 goals after five matchdays. 

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