0:2 - HSV miss out on Bundesliga promotion

... and a bitter end

After the change of ends, there was immediate drama. Only three minutes after the restart, Heyer was clearly pulled in the penalty area and thus prevented from finishing, but referee Aytekin allowed play to continue and the VAR did not intervene either. So the pressure was on and HSV took advantage of the heated atmosphere in the bubbling Volksparkstadion to continue their attack. The Berlin penalty area was a bit tricky a few times, but it was not enough for the final punch.

Not even after an hour, when Glatzel did not fully catch a Jatta cross on the five-metre line and thus missed the equaliser. Plattenhardt took a free-kick from the right half of the field instead of the expected cross and fired it into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0 in Berlin. HSV now had their backs to the wall. At least one goal was needed to at least equalise the overall score and reach extra time. However, the Walter team had a hard time against a Hertha team that repeatedly disturbed Hamburg's flow of play with ball relays and many forced treatment breaks. Vagnoman had another great opportunity ten minutes before the end and in the six minutes of injury time the balls flew into the Hertha penalty area almost every second, but it just wasn't to be. HSV's outstanding comeback in the league and the great fight in this last game of the season were not rewarded in the end. Nevertheless, after the final whistle, the coach and team were celebrated by the spectators for a strong season and a self-sacrificing fight and bid farewell to this season with great applause.