Match report
21.02.25
HSV win 3-0 in heavyweight clash with Kaiserslautern
Davie Selke bagged a brace (42’, 65’) and Fabio Balde also found the net for the Rothosen at a sold-out Volksparkstadion.
HSV came out the victors as the two of the league’s top three met on Matchday 23. The Rothosen, who sat second in the table before the game, defeated third-placed 1. FC Kaiserslautern 3-0. In front of 57,000 spectators at a sold-out Volksparkstadion, top scorer Davie Selke put Hamburg ahead just before half time of what was a hard-fought encounter (42’). After the break, he made it 2-0 with his 16th goal of the season (65’). In the 78th minute, substitute Fabio Balde rounded off the scoring with a third goal, and HSV climbed to the top of the table.
Selke breaks the deadlock
Head coach Merlin Polzin was unable to take his spot in the technical area for the match due to illness, and he was replaced at the Volksparkstadion by assistant Loic Fave. Polzin watched the Matchday 23 clash from home. The coaching staff made a total of five changes from the 1-1 draw in Regensburg last time out. Elfadli, Karabec, Mikelbrencis, Reis and Mebude came in for Schonlau, Richter, Hefti, Königsdörffer and the suspended Sahiti. New signing Mebude made his first start for the club.
The match started as expected. Both teams looked composed and determined. It soon developed into a keenly-fought encounter with many fascinating individual battles, while the two sides each immediately laid bare their tactical approaches. The visitors looked to stay defensively solid and threaten on the counter, while HSV set out to attack once again and pinned the Red Devils back into their own half. With 35 minutes on the clock, the Rothosen had recorded 11 corners to the visitors’ one, as well as almost 70 percent possession. The only thing missing (so far anyway) was a goal. Top scorer Selke had already had three chances to put his side ahead, but Krahl was able to save his two headers after crosses from Mikelbrencis and Hadzikadunic (15’, 18’). He had an even bigger opportunity in the 34th minute, when he couldn’t find Reis, who was free alongside him in the box, and Selke’s effort was eventually blocked. Kaiserslautern meanwhile had produced almost nothing of note in attack, with only a header from Wekesser (38’) and a strike from distance by Kaloc (41’) coming anyway near to Heuer Fernandes’ goal.
Just before half time, the deadlock was finally broken, and it was that man Selke who gave HSV a deserved lead. After a cross from Mikelbrencis, the prolific forward controlled the ball with his chest before poking the ball past Krahl and into the net for his 15th of the season (42’). The celebrations in the ground were almost silenced only a minute later, when Wekesser fired wide of an almost-open goal after a pass from Yokota (44’). HSV went in at the break deservedly 1-0 up.
Selke and Balde wrap up deserved victory
HSV started the second half with more concentration than at the end of the first, and immediately looked to add another goal. They were to do just that, and it was Selke once again. It could have been two for him even earlier – after great work by Dompe in the 52nd minute, the striker found the net, but was narrowly offside and ‘goal’ was correctly ruled out. In the 65th minute though, there was to be no intervention from the VAR team in Cologne. After brilliant play from Reis on his return to the starting eleven, the midfielder found Selke with an excellent pass after playing a one-two with Karabec. Our number 27 made it 2-0 with a low shot from around 11 yards out (65’).
This goal put Hamburg firmly in the driving seat, and the chances were flowing. Reis (68’, 74’), Selke (73’) and Mikelbrencis (86’) all had good opportunities to add to the scoreline, before substitute Balde did so. The academy product opened his account in the 2. Bundesliga to make it 3-0 (78’). VAR got involved again to prevent it from becoming 4-0. Königsdörffer headed home, but the Rothosen had a goal chalked off for a second time (87’). Karabec was just offside before crossing the ball into the box. FCK had a couple of good opportunities themselves before the end, but neither a shot from Redondo (75’), nor an overhead kick from Hanslik (80’), or a strike from Sirch (84’), posed any real problems for Heuer Fernandes. In the end, HSV recorded a fully-deserved 3-0 win in this huge clash on Matchday 23, after a superb performance over the course of the 90 minutes.
Match stats:
Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes - Mikelbrencis, Hadzikadunic Elfadli, Muheim - Meffert, Karabec (89’ Stange), Reis (77’ Richter) - Mebude (70’ Balde), Selke (77’ Königsdörffer), Dompe (89’ Rossing-Lelesiit)
1. FC Kaiserslautern: Krahl - Elvedi, Sirch (89’ Robinson), Bauer - Gyamerah, Breithaupt, Kaloc (67’ Hanslik), Wekesser - Ritter, Yokota (49’ Opoku) - Ache (67’ Redondo)
Goals: 1-0 Selke (42’), 2:0 Selke (65’), 3:0 Balde (78’)
Attendance: 57,000 (sold-out)
Referee: Sören Storks (Velen)
Yellow cards: Mebude (58’) / Redondo (90+2’)
Red cards: - / -