Match Report

2-2 - superb point in Hoffenheim

HSV produced a superb battling performance to take a more than deserved point away to unbeaten TSG Hoffenheim, on matchday 11 on Sunday afternoon.

The Rothosen delighted their travelling hordes of fans on Sunday afternoon (20.11) by taking a hard-fought but well deserved point away to unbeaten top five side TSG Hoffenheim on matchday 11. The top draw Bundesliga battle was played out in front of a capacity crowd of 30,000 inside the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena in Sinsheim. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. The visitors broke the deadlock as danger man Filip Kostic struck (28.), only to concede two unnecessary goals either side of half time (45., 49.). On his return to his former club, HSV coach Markus Gisdol watched his team fight back hard and equalise through Nicolai Müller (61.). Both sides had further chances to win the game but in the end the result was about right on the balance of play.

HSV gave their all and battled their way to a confidence-boosting crucial away point at unbeaten Hoffenheim.

Kostic opens the scoring...

Markus Gisdol opted for a 4-2-3-1 system for his return to his former stomping ground, where he was not only head coach as the club seemed to appear from nowhere, but was very instrumental in its early development. Because of the amount of first team regulars still on the treatment table in Hamburg Gisdol played new skipper Sakai alongside usual full back Ostrzolek in front of the back four, while midfield foursome of Müller/Holtby/Kostic tried to link with sole striker Gregoritsch.

The home side were hardly surprisingly in confident mood, having won five and drawn five of their ten Bundesliga games so far and must have fancied their chances at home to the side currently propping up the Bundesliga table. TSG put Hamburg under early pressure and in truth could easily have opened the scoring on three occasions through any of the good chances squandered chances by Krmaric alone. Then though HSV began to find their way into the game with determined tackling and nice combination work. They also broke the deadlock out of the blue! Before they did however Müller had missed a couple of good scoring opportunities. After around half an hour Müller’s opposite wing team mate Kostic broke down the left, leaving a couple of home defenders in his wake before sliding the ball between the legs of the home keeper. 5,000 travelling HSV fans almost raised the roof off the ground! It was not a lucky goal, but far more one that resulted from a team that superbly fought for each other. Great right? Not really because once again individual mistakes invited the home side to equalise through Wagner in injury time at the end of the first half.

Scorers gathering: Kostic and Müller celebrate the goal which produced a priceless away point.

... Müller finds the net

TSG took the game to Hamburg at the start of the second half and took the lead on 49 minutes after Kaderabek had once again broken down the right from where his cross into the box led to the goal by Zuber. Rothosen debutant keeper Mathenia was caught wrong footed. Whoever though that the visitors would fall apart after the setback were to be proved wrong. Hamburg fought their way back into the game by giving everything for each other and in fact began to gain the upper hand. Their equalising goal after around an hour by Müller after superb approach work involving Kostic was deserved at that point in the game. It also signalled the start of a gritty battle to the bitter end as both teams threw caution to the wind at times in search of a winning goal. HSV squandered two good late chances on the break while the home side created some gilt-edged chances of their own during the final five minutes of the game. The final whistle was blown on what was a great game of Bundesliga football. Gisdol’s team took the deserved plaudits from the 5,000-strong contingent of travelling HSV faithful who were amazing all game and easily out-sung the home fans. Hats off to you guys.