Match report
02.02.25
HSV draw 2-2 with Hannover
The Rothosen took an early lead against Hannover 96 thanks to Silvan Hefti’s curled strike before Nicolo Tresoldi and Rabbi Matondo turned the game in the favour of the visitors. Jean-Luc Dompe was however able to level the game with a sensational direct free-kick.
Hamburger SV played out a 2-2 draw in their matchday 20 clash with Hannover 96 on Sunday (2nd February). 57,000 spectators fans at the sold-out Volksparkstadion witnessed Silvan Hefti hand HSV a 1-0 lead after a quarter of an hour with his first goal for the club. The Rothosen continued to dominate, creating a plethora of further chances but failing to convert a second before the break. The visitors then showed clear improvement following the restart and took control of the game via goals from Tresoldi (53’) and Matondo (79’). Nevertheless, Jean-Luc Dompe ensured that HSV would take at least a point from the game when he equalised for the Rothosen with a late free-kick that saw this entertaining battle between two northern clubs finish all square.
Hefti curls home for an early advantage...
HSV head coach Merlin Polzin made two changes from his line-up that started the 3-2 win away to Hertha BSC with Königsdörffer and Hefti coming in for Selke (cheekbone fracture) and Muheim (suspended). The visiting team slightly edged a cagey opening phase that saw a tactical focus but it was the Rothosen who had the first dangerous attempt on goal in the 10th minute. However, Adam Karabec failed to beat away keeper Zieler with his shot from an acute angle on the left-hand side of the penalty area. Strikes from Meffert, Königsdörffer and Karabec all shortly followed but none managed to direct their attempts on target. Nevertheless, they did serve as a signal of the intensity with which the host were going about things. A high-tempo opening phase was capped out with due reward when the aforementioned Hefti curled the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from a half-left position, 20 yards from goal, to make it 1-0 to HSV.
The versatile Swiss player’s first goal for the Hamburg-based club helped his team assume control of proceedings and they should have had a second when Königsdörffer tried his luck but to no avail. The attacker latched onto the end of a fine cross from Dompe from the left flank, but could not add to his two goals already netted during the second half of the season against Köln and Hertha when the timing of his headed attempt was off and he sent the ball sailing over (28’). As also lacked fortune in promising positions shortly beforehand and Lower Saxony were not dangerous in their opponents' sixteen, they went into the break with a deserved 1:0 lead. Karabec and Sahiti lacked both the requisite fortune and precision in their subsequent efforts, while Hannover struggled to create much in the way of a threat during the opening 45 minutes. As a result, the half-time whistle sounded with the home side leading 1-0.
Two stunning strikes after the break
The visitors made one change at half-time as Rabbi Matondo came on for Bartlomiej Wdowik. Soon after, Hannover were able to draw level after the ball pinballed around inside the box. Tresoldi's initial attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes before it was accidentally redirected towards goal by William Mikelbrencis. Tresoldi took full advantage of the lucky bounce to poke in the equaliser from close range (53'). The Rothosen looked to quickly shake off the setback by keeping possession of the ball, while Hannover sought to use their 4-4-2 formation to close up shop at the back. Matondo was able to generate plenty of danger on the counter, leading to Heuer Fernandes needing to parry his low shot away from goal in the 67th minute.
Just over ten minutes later, the HSV goalkeeper was helpless to prevent Matondo from putting Hannover into the lead. The Welsh winger burst down the left flank before netting a stunning strike on what was his debut for his new club, giving them a 2-1 lead (79'). Their advantage wouldn't last long, however, with the Rothosen awarded a free kick on the edge of the visitors' penalty box in the 82nd minute. Jean-Luc Dompé stepped up to take the free kick and struck a perfect shot that curled over the wall and into the top right corner to draw level (84'). Dompé's equaliser proved to be the final highlight of the game, as the two sides shared the points after an entertaining afternoon in Hamburg.
Match stats:
Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes - Mikelbrencis, Hadzikadunic (67' Schonlau), Elfadli, Hefti – Meffert, Karabec (85' Poreba), Richter (67' Reis) - Sahiti (85' Mebude), Königsdörffer (75' Stange), Dompe
Hannover 96: Zieler - Neumann, Tomiak, Halsteberg - Dehm, Leopold (88' Christiansen), Kunze, Rochelt (88' Momuluh), Wdowik (46' Matondo) - Nielsen (75' Gindorf), Tresoldi (90'+1 Voglsammer)
Goals: 1-0 Hefti (15'), 1-1 Tresoldi (53'), 1-2 Matondo (79'), 2-2 Dompe (84')
Spectators: 57,000 (sold out)
Referee: Michael Bacher
Yellow cards: Meffert, Reis, Mebude, Elfadli, Höh/ Halstenberg
Red cards: - / -