29.04.2018
HSV with a massive three points in Wolfsburg
After an entertaining 90 minutes of football, HSV celebrate a hugely important 3-1 victory against VfL Wolfsburg. Bobby Wood, Lewis Holtby and Luca Waldschmidt got the goals for the Rothosen in a win which saw the gap to safety cut to two points.
Hamburger SV recorded their third win under coach Christian Titz in front of 29,400 fans in Wolfsburg. This victory cuts the gap to competitors Wolfsburg, who sit directly above HSV to just two points. In the first half the goals came from a Bobby Wood penalty (43’) and a Lewis Holtby header (45’) after a cross from Tatsuya Ito. After the break Wolfsburg got one back through Josip Brekalo (78’) and at the death Luca Waldschmidt wrapped up the three points in second half injury time, when he scored the rebound from HSV’s second penalty of the game. Hamburg were again supported brilliantly away from home with over 3,000 fans making the trip to Wolfsburg.
The game in short:
Hamburger SV:
Pollersbeck - Sakai, Papadopoulos, Jung, Santos - Steinmann - Kostic, Holtby, Hunt (67’ Ekdal), Ito (85’ Jatta) - Wood (77’ Waldschmidt)
VfL Wolfsburg:
Casteels - Verhaegh (46’ Brekalo), Knoche, Udoukhai, William - Guilavogui, Tisserand (11’ Bazoer) - Blaszczykowski (75’ Malli), Arnold, Steffen - Origi
Goals:
0-1 Wood (43’), 0-2 Holtby (45’), 1-2 Brekalo (78’), 1-3 Waldschmidt (90’)
Spectators:
29.400
Referee:
Daniel Siebert (Berlin)
Yellow cards:
Verhaegh (45’), Knoche (51’), Pollersbeck (67’), Brekalo (84’), Papadopoulos (88’)
Red cards:
none
HSV’s Tatsuya Ito was unstoppable in the first half and played a key part in Hamburg’s goals.
HSV strike twice
Head coach Christian Titz made two changes to the side that won 1-0 against SC Freiburg. Douglas Santos returned from suspension for Diekmeier and Wood entered the attack for Waldschmidt. As we saw on the final day of last season, Waldschmidt can make a decisive impact off the bench against Wolfsburg. The first clear-cut chance of the match fell to Wood in the 8th minute after half-chances from Holtby and Ito. The visitors were on top in the opening stages despite Steffen have a chance for the hosts after a quarter of an hour. Hamburg dominated proceedings and continued to threaten Wolfsburg’s goal. Eventually, they got their deserved goal. Ito was fouled in the box and Wood converted the penalty. In added time in the first half, Holtby got on the end of Ito’s cross to make it 2-0 to HSV heading into the break.
Lewis Holtby scored his fourth goal in five games.
… the late decider
After the change of sides, the game became less eventful as Hamburg focused on keeping possession and controlling the game. The Wolves pushed for a goal but HSV were unable to counter as effectively as they had done in the first half. In the 72nd and 76th minute, Kostic and Douglas Santos had chances to seal the deal but failed to convert and, from nowhere, Wolfsburg clawed themselves back into the game. 12 minutes before the end, Brekalo scored a free-kick to give the hosts hope. Wolfsburg now played with new found confidence at a clearly nervy Hamburg team. It made for an exceptionally tense end to the game. However, on the break, Waldschmidt was fouled in the penalty area in the 93rd minute after coming on and, though Kostic’s effort was parried, Waldschmidt scored the rebound to make it 3-1 at the death. The gap to safety is now two points – the mission goes on!
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)
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