Friendly Match

Season-opener against Espanyol Barcelona ends 1-1

HSV drew 1-1 with Spanish top flight side Espanyol Barcelona as the season officially began at the Volksparkstadion on Sunday (06.08). Lewis Holtly scored a late equaliser for the home side.

HSV’s dress rehearsal ahead of their DFB Cup round 1 trip to Osnabrück next Sunday ended in a draw as they drew 1-1at home to Espanyol Barcelona in front of around 20,000 at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on Sunday afternoon. After a goalless opening half the visitors broke the deadlock through Leo Baptistao after 61 minutes. Hamburg substitute Lewis Holtby grabbed an 67th minute equaliser for the Rothosen.

Home coach Markus Gisdol picked a side which could well start in Osnabrück nbext weekend and opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Fit again Gideon Jung returned to defensive midfield alongside Walace in place of Albin Ekdal (missed out with a bruised back). New signing Andre Hahn was once again out wide on the left wing. Gisdol was without regular winger Filip Kostic who is sidelined with a knee problem. Also missing through injury were Luca Waldschmidt (not match fit) and Bjarne Thoelke, who injured a knee during training yesterday. Pierre-Michel Lasogga was also absent. The former Hertha striker had a hardened thigh muscle.

Nicolai Müller challenging. — Nicolai Müller had his side’s best chances before the break but was unlucky in front of goal.

Müller from an offside position

The game played on a brand new pitch began in bright fashion with the home side first to threaten, as Wood fired two wayward opening efforts on 5 and 10 minutes well wide of the goal being kept by Adria Lopez. The home side continued to edge early matters but the visitors had their first half chance as home keeper Mathenia was forced to thwart a chance from outside his area on 20 minutes. Nicolai Müller had HSV’s best chances – three in fact (24., 27., 38.). The home fans celebrated what they thought was an opening goal from HSV on 25 minutes, but celebrations were cut short as the referee pointed out that Müller was offside as he deflected in a ball from Hunt. There were no goals in the first half.

Lewis Holtby celebrats his late equaliser. — Lewis Holtby equalised for the home side on 87 minutes.

Baptistao opens the scoring, Holtby equalises late on

Gisdol made two changes at the break, replacing Mathenia with Julian Pollersbeck between the Hamburg posts and Lewis Holtby replaced Aaron Hunt in midfield. The former was also involved in the opening HSV chance as left back Santos played a superb ball to Holtby who in turn set up Müller who could only produce a weak effort which the Spanish keeper could allow to ignore (48.). On 61 minutes the visitors mounted an attractive attack which ended with a simple tap in for Leo Baptistao to open the scoring. Five minutes later the home side had fortune on their side as Gerard Moreno struck an upright (66.). Sven Schipplock was then brought down inside the Spanish box but Andre Hahn missed the resulting spot kick (77.). Schipplock was involved in the action again after 87 minutes as he worked hard to get the ball through to Holtby tapped home the equalising goal. It was no more than the home side deserved. The 1-1 result was about right on the balance of play.

Match details:

HSV: Mathenia (46. Pollersbeck) – Sakai (62. Diekmeier), Papadopoulos (69. van Drongelen), Mavraj, Douglas – Jung (62. Janjicic), Walace – Müller (69. Jatta), Hunt (46. Holtby), Hahn (89. Arp) – Wood (69. Schipplock)

Espanyol Barcelona: A. Lopez – J. Lopez, Diop, Canseco, Carciol – Jurado, Fuego, Piatti (55. Jimenez), Junque – Moreno, Baptistao (73. Garcia)

Goals: 0:1 Baptistao (61.), 1:1 Holtby (87.)

Booked: Douglas (29.), Walace (83.) / -

Referee: Robert Schröder

Att: 20.147