Match report

HSV secure 1-1 draw against FC Augsburg

The Rothosen shared the spoils with FCA on Bundesliga matchday 28. Chaves prodded the visitors ahead before Königsdörffer fired home to level up at 1-1. HSV finished with 10 men after Muheim’s red card.

Hamburger SV earned a 1-1 draw in their Bundesliga home fixture with FC Augsburg on Easter Saturday (4th April). 57,000 fans inside the sold-out Volksparkstadion witnessed a topsy-turvy opening phase, characterised by bitty play in the final third. The away side went in front with a fitting prod into the net for 1-0. That was how the score board read at half-time but the Rothosen levelled the arrears via a Königsdörffer strike on the hour, before narrowly missing the chance for a go-ahead goal when Vuskovic headed against the post (64’). Directly after that, however, Muheim was handed a red card for fouling his opponent as the last man. The woodwork was struck on further occasions, albeit with no additions to the scoring.

FRANTIC FIRST HALF…

HSV head coach Merlin Polzin made a singular change to his team that started the 3-2 loss away to Borussia Dortmund ahead of the international break, bringing in Robert Glatzel for Nicolai Remberg, who was serving a yellow card suspension. Philip Otele posed as the other central striker in a 3-5-2 formation and it was he who nearly brought the Volksparkstadion crowd to its feet for the first time when he was narrowly unable to latch onto a sharp William Mikelbrencis cross at the back stick. Down the other end, ex-HSV man Michael Gregoritsch fired off the game’s opening attempt, albeit well over the bar. The battle in the middle of the park remained fierce, but referee Deniz Aytekin continued to be lenient in his officiating of proceedings. In the midst of the scramble, Fabian Rieder and Mikelbrencis each unleashed shots high of the crossbar from the edge of the box.

The away side then took the lead somewhat out of the blue in the 22nd minute: a cross from Marius Wolf headed the way of Cedric Zesiger at the far post, who challenged with Mikelbrencis in the air. The second ball fell kindly to Arthur Chaves, free in the six-yard box, and he prodded home for 1-0. The Rothosen gained more of a control on possession in the aftermath and pressed for a response, creating myriad half-chances. Captain Miro Muheim first tested Finn Dahmen at his near post with a fizzed cross-come-shot free-kick effort (30’) before Glatzel’s first-time strike was also saved (34’). The vising keeper then denied Muheim again from his next dead ball attempt on goal (37’). Otele had a toe-poke from the edge of the area tipped over (38’) and Glatzel’s effort from near the penalty spot was also kept out (44’) as HSV were repeatedly denied a deserved leveller. Instead, the away side took a 1-0 lead into the break, although that was not before a moment of fair play from Gregoritsch – a free-kick had been awarded to the Augsburg forward in a promising position just outside the box; however, the Austrian explained to the referee that he had, in actuality, not been fouled, and the decision was overturned.

… before HEATED CLOSING STAGES

With Otele on a yellow card, Polzin played his first card at half-time, introducing Rayan Phillipe for the Nigerian attacker. Gregoritsch was once again in the spotlight at the start of the second period, firing a low shot at Daniel Heuer Fernandes (47’). At the other end of the pitch, Königsdörffer came within a matter of centimetres of equalising when, following a neat move through the centre, he directed a low shot just wide of the left-hand post from around 12 yards (50’). After Anton Kade (54’) struck the side-netting following a counter-attack and Claude-Maurice (55’) also spurned a chance for 2-0, there was still everything for HSV to play for. They continued their search for an equaliser and to some avail: Königsdörffer lashed the ball into the left top corner from 18 yards out after strike partner Glatzel’s cushioned lay-off. With the score now level at 1-1 and the Volksparkstadion in full swing behind them, HSV almost completed a quick-fire double. Luka Vuskovic connected with a Muheim corner with his head at the back post, but saw his effort find only the left-hand upright (64’). That disappointment was then compounded when, during the resulting counter-attack, Muheim made a costly defensive error in a duel with Kade. He brought the opposition player down as the last defender and was shown an inevitable straight red card.

Polzin reacted to going a man down by making a double change, handing January signing Albert Grønbæk his Hamburg debut. The away team subsequently took back control and looked to go back in front. Gregoritsch continued to remain in focus, but failed to score with neither a header nor a shot which hit the left post (74’). That is not to say HSV did not come close to the winner, either. Dahmen did well to deflect a mishit backpass onto his own crossbar with his shoulder before also to turn a long-range Grønbæk half-volley onto the right-hand upright with his fingertips. The resulting corner led to a strike from Fabio Vieira, which struck the upper arm of Zesiger. Aytekin initially pointed to the spot on advice from his assistant, however chalked off the penalty following VAR review (85’). There was no shortage of desire for the winning goal from the hosts and Giorgi Gocholeishvili nearly made the score line reflect the enthralled atmosphere in the stands, but he sent his speculative effort over following a short free-kick. 1-1 was how it stayed as HSV earned a deserved point to stay within reach of their opponents in the table.

Match statistics:

Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes – Omari, L. Vuskovic, Torunarigha – Mikelbrencis, Sambi Lokonga, Vieira, Königsdörffer (67’ Gocholeishvili), Muheim – Glatzel (67’ Grönbaek), Otele (46’ Philippe, 90’+4 Stange)

FC Augsburg: Dahmen – Chaves, K. Schlotterbeck, Zesiger – Wolf, Fellhauer (80’ Massengo), Rieder, Giannoulis – Kade (80’ Ribeiro), Claude-Mauirce (90’ Ogundu)– Gregoritsch

Goals: 0-1 Chaves (23’), 1-1 Königsdörffer (60’)

Attendance: 57,000 (sold-out)

Referee: Deniz Aytekin

Yellow cards: Otele, Torunarigha / Rieder, Zesiger, K. Schlotterbeck

Red cards: Muheim