Match report

Spot kicks galore as HSV win 2-1 in Wolfsburg

Hamburger SV secured a 2-1 win in a peculiar affair away to VfL Wolfsburg. Vuskovic and Dompe each netted from the spot for HSV after Eriksen had initially put the Wolves ahead, also via a penalty kick.

Hamburger SV have come away from their Bundesliga matchday 25 fixture at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday (7th March) with all three points following a 2-1 win. A frantic affair saw two relegation battlers go head-to-head, with the Rothosen eventually coming out on top. Eriksen initially handed the home team the lead with a penalty (22’), before two further successful spot kicks from first Vuskovic (33’) and then Dompe (58’) flipped the game on its head and secured the win for HSV to end a run of three matches without victory.

A penalty at either end…

Head coach Merlin Polzin made six changes to his starting line-up that began Wednesday evening’s fixture against Bayer 04 Leverkusen (1-0 loss). Miro Muheim returned on the left flank after serving a yellow card suspension in place of Giorgi Gocholeishvili, while William Mikelbrencis replaced the injured Bakery Jatta on the right-hand side. Jordan Torunarigha, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Jean-Luc Dompe and Philip Otele all also featured from the off, with Warmed Omari, Fabio Vieira, Rayan Philippe and Damion Downs dropping out.

The first half took a while to get into its flow as both teams initially struggled in their build-up play, appearing nervous. Hamburg registered the contest’s opening shot on goal in the ninth minute after Mikelbrencis flashed a sharp cross into the penalty area from the right wing, but it just evaded Ransford Königsdörffer. Five minutes later, the Wolves had their first big chance. Dzenan Pejcinovic shot from the edge of the box on the left, and Heuer Fernandes found difficulty in holding onto the ball; however, he recovered to decisively disrupt Jesper Lindstöm’s follow-up effort. Shortly afterwards, HSV’s shot stopper was again only able to parry a long-range shot back out, before Daniel Elfadli struck Yannik Gerhardt in the head with a high boot while attempting to clear the ball inside his own penalty area – spot kick to the hosts. Christian Eriksen converted straight down the middle to make it 1-0.

That lead did not last long, though, since another penalty was to soon be awarded at the other end of the field. Following a Muheim free-kick, Luka Vuskovic was brought down, sandwiched between two opposition players, before stepping up from 12 yards himself and squeezing the ball under keeper Kamil Grabara in the right-hand bottom corner. The Rothosen created further good opportunities but could not add to the 1-1 score line before the break.

... before Dompe also keeps his cool

Coach Polzin introduced Omari for Elfadli at half-time, who was at risk of receiving a second yellow. The second period started in nervy fashion for the away side when a fizzing Eriksen corner almost slammed into the front post, but two Wolfsburg players decisively failed to make contact with the ball (47’). At the other end, Königsdörffer fired off the first dangerous attempt on goal after the restart, but Grabara turned his powerful hit round the near upright for a corner ball. Dompe’s resulting delivery saw Vuskovic hauled to the ground in the 57th minute, leading to another penalty for the Rothosen. This time around, it was Dompe who stepped up and confidently slotted home with a low shot into the left-hand corner for 2-1 to HSV.

Wolfsburg upped the ante after that, while Hamburg had to increasingly focus on their defensive work. HSV just about survived a major chance for the hosts in the 64th minute, when Pejinovic headed against the right-hand post from seemingly a matter of inches. The visiting team missed the chance to seal the win through Königsdörffer, one-on-one with Grabara (74’), but defended tirelessly to deny any further chances for the equaliser.

Even eight minutes of stoppage time could not prevent around 10,000 travelling HSV fans from being able to celebrate a second victory on the road this season.

Match statistics:

VfL Wolfsburg: Grabara – Adjetey, Jenz (78’ Arnold), Koulierakis – Bürger (60’ Majer), Vinicius Souza, Belocian, Gerhardt (60’ Daghim), Eriksen – Lindström (60’ Amoura), Pejcinovic (69’ Shiogai)

Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes – Elfadli (46’ Omari), L. Vuskovic, Torunarigha – Mikelbrencis (86’ Gocholeishvili), Lokonga, Remberg, Muheim – Otele (67’ Fabio Vieira), Dompe (67’ Poulsen) – Königsdörffer (77’ Downs)

Goals: 1-0 Eriksen (22’, pen.), 1-1 Vuskovic (33’, pen.), 1-2 Dompe (58’, pen.)

Attendance: 28,917 (sold-out)

Referee: Dr. Florian Exner

Yellow cards: Jenz, Lindström, Bauer / Elfadli, Fabio Vieira, Downs

Red cards: Müller