HSV fall to last-minute defeat against Osnabrück

An early deficit...

HSV head coach Steffen Baumgart made only one change from the side which emerged victorious against Elversberg last time out, as Noah Katterbach came in at left-back to replace the ill Muheim. Katterbach’s return to the HSV starting XI quickly became something of a nightmare, as Kunze stole in behind a disorganised back line from a free-kick to give Osnabrück the lead. HSV responded with considerable intensity, but even as they pushed forward they had to be on guard against the threat of a counter-attack from the visitors, who pressed aggressively and played well. Referee Richard Hempel, who at 26 is the youngest man to take charge of a game at the Volksparkstadion, took a hard line to any and all transgressions, which greatly disrupted the flow of what was a hard-fought game with a number of closely-contested individual battles all over the park. Perhaps as a result of this, the next two flashpoints came from set-pieces – first, a Schonlau header from a corner narrowly missed the target, before Glatzel’s penalty shortly before the half-time whistle sent the Volksparkstadion into raptures and ensured the sides were level pegging as they returned to the dressing rooms. Glatzel’s spot-kick followed a foul on Pherai, who might well have scored himself had he not been knocked off his feet.