Match Report

2:1! HSV beat Fürth and keep their chance of 2nd place.

Miro Muheim scores a dream goal (27.) and Laszlo Benes scores a penalty (69.). Bakery Jatta is shown a yellow card. Fürth's Abiama is also sent off.

HSV remains on the heels of 1. FC Heidenheim and has secured the relegation place. The Rothosen beat SpVgg Greuther Fürth 2:1 (1:0) on Saturday evening (20 May) and can now no longer be ousted from third place. Miro Muheim with a dream goal (27th) in the first half and substitute Lazslo Benes (69th) were the match winners in front of 56,500 spectators in the once again sold-out Volksparkstadion. Lukas Petkov (84), who was also substituted, scored the final goal too late. The only downer of the evening was that Bakery Jatta was shown a yellow card in the 87th minute and will therefore miss the season finale, in which all Hamburg fans can hope for a slip-up by Heidenheim in order to achieve second place after all.

A stroke of genius by Muheim ...

The starting position before kick-off was clear: Due to Heidenheim's victory against Sandhausen (1:0) in the afternoon, HSV could only keep up the pressure on the Brenzstädter with a triple point win and keep their last chance of direct promotion by reaching second place. Head coach Tim Walter started the same eleven as in the 5:1 away win against Regensburg. Benes, who had returned from a yellow ban, was initially only on the bench.

The start of the 90 minutes was then not so clear. Many duels and a rather disjointed game characterised the initial phase, in which the guests left the better impression and consistently nullified the build-up play of the Rothosen. One had the feeling that a wake-up call was needed. And it came in the form of a stroke of genius from Muheim. The Swiss did not use a pass from Dompe at the left corner of the penalty area for a cross that everyone expected, but instead welded the ball in an arcing shape under the crossbar for 1:0 (27th), to the great surprise of Kleeblatt goalkeeper Linde. Only minutes later, Dompe himself had the 2:0 on his foot, but failed in the 1:1 on Linde's thigh (32.). On the other side, Green tested HSV keeper Heuer Fernandes with a long-range shot (36th), but he deflected it to the side with his long arm. So the dream goal remained the difference in the first half.

Benes scores from the spot and cheers in front of the North Stand.

... and penalty by Benes

The start of the second period was similar to the opening phase. The Kleeblätter came out of the dressing room better and more committed. Schonlau had to block a shot by Ache in the nick of time (52.). The equaliser was within the realms of possibility. For a long time, HSV struggled to make a decisive impact in front of the visitors' goal. It was not until the 61st minute that Kittel narrowly missed the corner of the goal with a long-range shot, and shortly afterwards it was Jatta who also missed a cross-field pass to Glatzel, who was completely free. The goal came after the third scene. Glatzel was brought down by Itter in the penalty area after a great counterattack and on his way to Linde, Benes converted the penalty to make it 2:0 (69).

With the second goal, HSV finally took control of the game. Glatzel missed the early decision, hitting only the post in the 79th minute after a misunderstanding between Griesbeck and Linde (79th). Fürth, however, did not give up and scored the final goal through substitute Petkov in the 84th minute. In addition, HSV weakened itself. Jatta was twice too late against his opponent within two minutes and was shown the yellow card. Thus, the last few minutes were a real nail-biter.

Match Summary:

Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes - Heyer, David, Schonlau, Muheim - Meffert, Reis (46.Benes), Kittel - Jatta, Glatzel, Dompe (77.Königsdörffer)

SpVgg Greuther Fürth: Linde - Griesbeck, Jung (78.Pululu), Itter - Meyerhöfer (78.Asta), Christiansen, Green, John - Hrgota - Ache (62.Abiama), Sieb (62.Petkov)

Goals: 1:0 Muheim (27.), 2:0 Benes (FE, 69.), 2:1 Petkov (84.)

Attendance: 56.500 (ausverkauft)

Referee: Sven Waschitzki-Günther (Bremen)

Yellow Cards: Reis (19.), Meffert (82.), Königsdörffer (90.+3) / Jung (45.), Itter (67.)

Yellow-Red Cards: Jatta (87.) / -

Red Cards: - / Abiama (90.+5)