Season

HSV win pre-season tournament in Meppen

WITH 2-1 WINS AGAINST STOKE CITY AND SV MEPPEN, HSV HAVE WON THE FRIENDLY TOURNAMENT AT THE HÄNSCH ARENA IN MEPPEN. AARON HUNT, FIETE ARP, PIERRE-MICHEL LASOGGA AND MANUEL WINTZHEIMER SCORED THE GOALS FOR THE ROTHOSEN.

As part of their pre-season preparations, Hamburger SV have won a friendly tournament in Meppen. Two weeks before the first game of the 2. Bundesliga season against Holstein Kiel (3rd August), the Rothosen won both of their 45-minute-long games in front of 5,419 in the Hänsch Arena against English side Stoke City (2-1) and third-division outfit SV Meppen (2-1).

Ice cold: Fiete Arp put HSV into the lead from the penalty spot against Stoke City.

HUNT AND ARP TURN THE GAME AROUND AGAINST STOKE CITY

In the first match against the team relegated from the Premier League, Christian Titz started with a 4-1-4-1 system. The Rothosen endeavoured to keep possession and control of the game but after 15 minutes, they made a costly error in midfield. The Potters countered quickly through Joe Allen and Erik Pieters met Bojan’s low flat cross at the far post to fire home to make it 1-0 (15’).

But Stoke taking the lead didn’t change the pattern of the game as HSV continued to dominate with the majority of possession but they failed to create many chances against the deep-sitting defence of the Championship side. However, HSV began to improve in the latter phases and after Fiete Arp was fouled just outside the area, captain Aaron Hunt curled home a delightful free-kick to level the scores (37’). Then just four minutes later, Khaled Narey was brought down in the penalty area. The awarding of the penalty was somewhat controversial but Arp stayed calm. The 18-year-old, who signed a long-term contract extension with the club yesterday, duly stepped up and stroked the ball home (41’). HSV held out for the 2-1 win.

Match Facts:

HSV: Pollersbeck - Narey, Bates, van Drongelen, Vagnoman - Steinmann - Jairo, Holtby, Hunt (37’ Janjicic), Ito - Arp

Stoke City: Haugaard - Bauer, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters - Cameron - Krkic, Allen, Berahino (28’ Diouf) - Crouch (16’ Afobe)

Goals: 0-1 Pieters (15’), 1-1 Hunt (37’), 2-1 Arp (41’ pen)

Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Manuel Wintzheimer both got on the scoresheet early on against SV Meppen to set HSV on course for victory.

EARLY DOUBLE BLOW AGAINST MEPPEN

In the final game of the tournament, HSV faced SV Meppen and it was the decider since both teams had beaten Stoke City earlier on. Christian Titz made five changes after the win against the Potters, bringing in Mickel, Ambrosius, Kwarteng, Lasogga and Wintzheimer and changing the formation to a 3-5-2 system. The hosts were out of sorts at the start and new arrival Wintzheimer and Lasogga, who has returned after a season on loan, took advantage of that early on. Firstly, Lasogga scored with a header after a Wintzheimer cross (10’) and then less than two minutes later, the provider turned goalscorer after great work from Jairo (11’). Lewis Holtby was denied by the post shortly after before Max Kremer halved the deficit for the third-division side in the closing stages (38’). HSV saw the game out though and return home as tournament victors.

Match Facts:

HSV: Mickel - Bates, Steinmann (14’ David), Ambrosius - Janjicic – Narey (14’ Knost), Jairo, Holtby, Kwarteng - Lasogga, Wintzheimer

SV Meppen: Domaschke - Senninger, Vidovic (20’ Puttkammer), Komenda, Amin (20’ Vrzogic) - Born, Leugers (20’ Posipal), Wagner, Kremer - Wegner (20’ Deters), Tankulic (20’ Undav)

Goals: 1-0 Lasogga (10’), 2-0 Wintzheimer (11’), 2-1 Max Kremer (38’)