21.04.2018

HSV pull off important 1-0 win over Freiburg

After a hard fought 90 minutes of football, HSV came away with a crucial 1-0 win over SC Freiburg. Lewis Holtby scored the decisive goal thanks to a beautiful solo effort, leaving Hamburg a mere five points off the relegation play-off spot.

Match Report

In front of 54,847 spectators at the Volksparkstadion, Hamburger SV won their second game under manager Christian Titz and closed the gap on relegation rivals Freiburg to five points. The winning goal came courtesy of Lewis Holtby in the 54th minute, who pulled off a miraculous solo run to fire his side into the lead. The visitors had the better of the chances to that point, but the Rothosen turned things around in the second half and ultimately deserved to take the lead. It remained an entertaining affair until the very end, in which HSV could really have added to the advantage they had already established for themselves. The home fans erupted into celebration as the final whistle blew, after 90 minutes of unrelenting support.

Julian Pollersbeck was sublime in the first half, keeping out Freiburg on multiple occasions.

(Kopie 6)

Freiburg create chances early on…

HSV coach Christian Titz made two changes to the side that played against Hoffenheim last week. Left-back Douglas was suspended, so Diekmeier came in his place at right-back, while Sakai moved over to the left. Papdopoulos also came in for van Drongelen. The coach made no changes to his attack and the team started the game off well in the formation that they have become used to in recent weeks. The ball came dangerously into the Freiburg box on two occasions in the first ten minutes, but the final touch didn’t quite come. After that, it was Freiburg who took control of the game and generated the most chances. Goalkeeper Pollersbeck was solely to thank for keeping the score at 0-0 after a sublime triple save followed by a point blank parry left Freiburg speechless. After Kostic and Co. were on top in the opening stages, the guests dominated the proceedings from then on. They pressed the hosts high up the pitch and forced them into errors, which came a hair’s width away from giving Freiburg the lead. Pollersbeck ensured that his side would go into the break level, however.

Lewis Holtby scores the decisive goal after a brilliant solo run.

(Kopie 7)

… but Holtby strikes the deadly blow

The second half began much like the first – a reshuffled formation from the coach and a lot of thrust going forward. The Rothosen re-seized the initiative after that dangerous Freiburg phase to end the first period of play and it was rewarded in the 54th minute when Lewis Holtby capped off a brilliant solo run with an ice-cool finish to give his side the lead and light the Volksparkstadion on fire. Attack after attack reigned down upon the Freiburg goal after that, as HSV looked to build on their newfound advantage. But it wasn’t to come. However, once Freiburg’s Söyüncü saw red in the 71st minute, there was a renewed sense of optimism that it might. Even though HSV threatened on multiple occasions, the second goal still proved elusive. But by the final whistle, it didn’t matter whether HSV had a one goal advantage or two – the three points had been secured and the Volksparkstadion erupted into celebration.

Match statistics

Hamburger SV

: Pollersbeck - Diekmeier, Papadopoulos, Jung, Sakai - Steinmann (73‘ Ekdal) - Kostic, Holtby, Waldschmidt (56’ Wood), Ito (87‘ Jatta) - Hunt

SC Freiburg

: Schwolow - Kübler, Gulde, Söyüncü, Günter - Haberer (69‘ Kath), Schuster (77‘ Koch), Höfler, Höler (64‘ Frantz) - Petersen, Kleindienst

Goals

: 1-0 Holtby (54‘),

Attendance

: 54.847

Referee

: Benjamin Cortus (Röthenbach)

No show from HSV

HSV head coach Markus Gisdol was forced into changing his team ahead of the trip south. Long term injured first choice keeper Adler was still recovering from a broken rib before his understudy Mathenia also got injured and was ruled out of the matchday 31 encounter. Up stepped under-21 stopper Mikel to the fray. Key winger Kostic who scored the only goal of the game between the two sides on matchday 14 was suspended so his place went to Austrian Gregoritsch. Ostrzolek got the nod at left back ahead of Douglas Santos while Walace replaced Jung in defensive midfield. Gisdol made four changes in all to the side which lost 1-2 at home to relegation certainties Darmstadt last time out. The new-look formation struggled early on. Augsburg created three top scoring opportunities within the opening 20 minutes. New keeper Mikel managed to keep out efforts by Kohr and Schmid and was grateful to be able to watch a Stafylidis free kick fizz narrowly wide of target. On 22 minutes the visitors were in luck again as an Altintop effort struck the left hand post with Mikel beaten. It seemed to the capacity crowd including yet another sold out contingent of travelling HSV faithful that it weould only be a matter of time before the home side would break the deadlock and they did as Altintop rounded off two counter attacks on 28 and 41 minutes to make the halftime score 2-0 to Augsburg. Mickel was powerless on both occasions and was HSV’s best man before the break.

Deserved defeat

Lasogga came on for Gregoritsch and Jung replaced Walace at the start of the second half as Gisdol opted for a two-pronged attack. Later Jatta replaced Ostrzolek. The ploy simply didn’t work as the Rothosen had more of the ball than in the previous half but were completely harmless in front of goal. Augsburg played a much more intelligent game and struck the woodwork again through Baier. That superior intelligence was underlined late on as Augsburg struck twice through Max and substitute Bobadilla (76., 85.). It was game over for HSV who failed to threaten until the 84th minute for Lasogga and Wood to miss chances. It was simply not good enough and the Rothosen remain just one point above the relegation play off spot in the table. Matchday 22 sees Gisdol and Co. host Mainz who are level on points but two places better due to a superior goal difference. Only a win will do as the teams lock horns at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg next Sunday (07.05.17, 3.30 PM).

Match details:

FC Augsburg:

Hitz - Verhaegh, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Stafylidis - Kohr, D. Baier (88. Callsen-Bracker) - Schmid, Halil Altintop (80. Bobadilla), Max (87. Ji) - Finnbogason

HSV:

Mickel - Diekmeier, K. Papadopoulos, Mavraj, Ostrzolek (63. Jatta) - Sakai, Walace (46. Jung) - Gregoritsch (46. Lasogga), Holtby, Hunt - Wood

Goals:

1:0 Altintop (28.), 2:0 Altintop (41.), 3:0 Max (76.), 4:0 Bobadilla (85.)

Booked:

Baier (48.) / Mavraj (33.), Gregoritsch (44.), Ostrzolek (51.), Holtby (72.)

Referee:

Manuel Gräfe (Berlin)

Att:

30.660 (sold out)