31.03.2018
1-1 – HSV pick up a point in Stuttgart
Hamburger SV played a good first half against Stuttgart and took a deserved lead through Lewis Holtby (18’). However, Ginczek equalized shortly before the break.
As they were in the previous game, the HSV supporters were shown a very positive first half on Saturday afternoon. Holtby was in the right place at the right time and put Hamburg deservedly 1-0 up. But shortly before the break, the hosts pulled it back through Ginczek, and the game ended up 1-1.
Holtby scores...
Coach Christian Titz set his team up in an attacking 4-1-4-1 formation and made three personnel changes from the XI that started in Berlin. Stephan Ambrosius replaced van Drongelen to make his Bundesliga debut. Mohamed Gouaida replaced Ito in central midfield, and Luca Waldschmidt led the line in place of Fiete Arp. HSV looked to play with energy after fielding a young side, and put in a good first-half performance. The opening minutes were cagey, as both teams looked to maintain their defensive stability. But HSV soon took control of the game. In the 18th minute, Santos played in Waldschmidt down the left flank. He drove into the box, and while Zieler managed to parry his shot, Lewis Holtby was waiting, and buried the rebound. HSV had been well on top, so it was a deserved lead. The hosts did then start to apply some pressure, but without ever really threatening. Half an hour in, and the Rothosen continued to control the match. Particularly impressive were keeper Polllersbeck’s attacking contributions. On the ball he was always assured, and played the ball out with impressive vision and composure. HSV’s tempo also remained high, and Waldschmidt was constantly threatening to double the lead. However, shortly before the break, Stuttgart ruthlessly made the most of one of their few chances. After a Stuttgart cross had been half-cleared, Erik Thommy shot the ball back towards goal. Pollersbeck was unable to hold the shot, and Ginczek pounced to make it 1-1 (44’), meaning the half ended all square.
…unfortunate not to come away with a victory
At the start of the second half, coach Titz made one change, with Bundesliga debutant Stephan Ambrosius making way for Rick van Drongelen. 15 minutes later, Ito came on as HSV looked to re-take the lead. In the early stages of the second half, it was the hosts who looked brightest. However, HSV soon regained their energy and started to trouble Stuttgart with their offensive pressing. The game was being played at a very high tempo, and after the hour mark, it was HSV who looked most likely to score. Kostic and Sakai both had chances in the 62nd minute, before Waldschmmidt saw his shot well saved by Zieler five minutes later. Coach Titz clearly wanted the win, and so brought on another attacker in Andre Hahn. The Rothosen gave it everything, but couldn’t quite get the job done in the final third. In the last 10 minutes, the game became even more frantic. Both teams started to lose their shape but neither managed to create any real chances. Therefore, in spite of a top first-half performance, the victory proved to be just out of reach. HSV head home with one point in the bag.
Shorthand report:
VfB Stuttgart:
Zieler - Pavard, Kaminski (46‘ Akolo), Badstuber, Insua - Aogo (88‘ Mangala) - Ascacibar - Thommy (77‘ Larsen), Gentner - Gomez, Ginczek
Hamburger SV:
Pollersbeck - G. Sakai, Ambrosius (46‘ van Drongelen), Jung, Douglas Santos - Steinmann (73‘ Hahn) - Hunt, Gouaida (59‘ Ito), Holtby, Kostic - Waldschmidt
Goals:
0-1 Holtby (18‘), 1-1 Ginczek (44‘)
Attendance:
58,000 (sold out)
Referee:
Dr. Felix Brych (Munich)
Yellow cards:
Aogo (55‘) / Jung (57‘)
Second yellows:
- / -
Red cards:
- / -
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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