Match Preview
18.04.22
Match Preview vs SC Freiburg
It’s semi-final time. Bundesliga boys SC Freiburg are in the north with a sold out Volksparkstadion backing the home side.
Once again, we are in DFB Pokal action as the competition heads down to the wire. Only one match stands between HSV and a trip the Capital of Germany, the DFB Pokal final at the Olympiastadion. The team that stands in their way is in-form SC Freiburg of the Bundesliga, a tough tough test.
Cup football always whips up it’s own magic and form always goes out of the window. Both sides did win 3-0 at the weekend, victories over Karlsruher SC and VfL Bochum respectively. Strangely the two sides both clubs faced in the previous round!
It’s sold out, a full house at the Volksparkstadion for what has been a long, long time and the atmosphere has been building in the City leading up to the big one. 20:45 under the lights in a Sold Out Volkspark. Cup fever is hitting Hamburg and promises to be a special one.
SC Freiburg in the Pokal:
1st Round: 0-1 Würzburger Kickers
2nd Round: 2-2 (2-3) Vfl Osnabrück
Last 16: 1-4 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Quarter Final: 0-1 vs Vfl Bochum
Christian Streich and SC Freiburg would quite rightly say they’ve experienced a difficult Pokal run to advance to the Semi Final stage. Every game for the side from the south has been away from home. Similar to HSV, who featured in three away fixtures before the home Quarter Final tie against Karlsruher SC.
Some tricky ties for Freiburg with a Johnathon Schmid goal set them aside from 3.Liga side Würzburg before a potential banana skin when Vfl Osnabrück took Streich’s men all the way to penalties. The past two rounds Freiburg have quite comfortably seen off Bundesliga sides although required a late goal in the previous round curtesy of big defensive mistake from Bochum.
SC Freiburg have been in great development over the past few seasons and are this season quite rightly challenging for a European spot in the Bundesliga this season. A really difficult opponent and probably the toughest opponent Tim Walter’s side will have to face this season.
HSV in the Pokal:
1st Round : 1-2 vs Eintracht Braunschweig
2nd Round : 1-1 (2-4) vs 1.FC Nürnberg
Last 16: 1-1 (3-4) vs 1.FC Köln
Quarter Final: 2-2 (3-2) vs Karlsruher SC
HSV have booked their place in the Semi Finals of the DFB Pokal following wins over sides in all three of Germany’s top divisions. Eintracht Braunschweig (3.Liga), 1.FC Nürnberg (2.Liga), 1.FC Köln (Bundesliga), and that notable Quarter-Final victory over Karlsruher SC (2.Liga).
For three rounds in a row, Tim Walter’s side have faced penalty kicks to decide the match. Cup matches are designed to throw up some magic, but three penalty kick victories in a row is something special. Following some late goals, HSV took Karlsruher SC to extra time before some Daniel Heuer Fernandes Heroics secured that HSV would be in the final four of the competition.
HSV may be the lowest ranked team left in the competition. The Rothosen are the only side to have won the DFB Pokal in the tournaments history! The Red Shorts are three times champions, 1962/63, 75/76, 86/87. Our Opponents SC Freiburg’s best performance was a Semi Final in 2013, while Union Berlin were runners up in 2001 and RB Leipzig have been twice runners up in 2019 and as recently as last season’s Pokal.
DFB Pokal Past Encounters: | |||
HSV | 3-1 | SC Freiburg | 31st October 2007 |
SC Freiburg | 1-4 | HSV | 8th October 1983 |
DFB Pokal Honors:
HSV – 3 Times Champions – 1962/63, 1975/76, 1986/87
SCF - 0 Times Champions (Best Result -2013 Semi Final)
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