HSV knocked out of DFB-Pokal after shootout loss to Kiel

…before falling short in the shootout

The second 45 started in exactly the same vein as the first half had ended. Right from the beginning, it was Kapralik once again to threaten with a powerful effort from the edge of the box. His shot ended up going millimetres wide of the left post. Only a few minutes later, HSV hit back with a big chance of their own. Just like in the match against Stuttgart at the weekend, Rössing-Lelesiit was a livewire on the left wing and played a pass in behind to Königsdörffer. The attacker battled his way deep into the box and cut the ball back to an unmarked Philippe in the middle. The Frenchman’s shot was a hair’s breadth away from giving his side the lead. The action was clearly gathering pace by this point, as both teams pressed forwards with determination and carved out a number of promising opportunities, especially in the final 15 minutes. However, neither the Rothosen, who went close through Gocholeishvili hitting the post and another Philippe shot going just wide, nor the Storks, who were denied time and again by Peretz, managed to convert their opportunities. The hard-fought affair went to extra time with the scoreline still 0-0.

The first half of extra time was still intense, though the action was mostly concentrated in the midfield. Both teams refused to budge an inch. Threatening opportunities were few and far between, which was also a consequence of depleted energy on both sides. The start of the second period of extra time, though, was a completely different story. Muheim fired the ball towards the far post from the edge of the box, where substitute Jatta was perfectly positioned to slot the ball into the roof of the net, making it 1-0 to HSV. The win, and a place in the quarter-finals, were within the Rothosen’s reach, but Kiel managed to peg them back with Harres’ direct free kick in the 118th minute. It was bitterly disappointing for HSV who had committed a sloppy foul in the build-up, opening the door for the guests to come back from the brink and send the game to penalties. After Peretz saved Kiel’s second penalty, HSV looked to have the upper hand once again, before Muheim hit the bar from the spot and Soumahoro’s effort was saved by Kiel keeper Weiner. Kiel scored their remaining penalties to complete a remarkable turnaround, with hero Harres bagging the winning spot kick to make the final score 4-2 on penalties. It was a painful, avoidable loss for HSV that brings the curtain down on this season’s DFB-Pokal journey.