Match Preview
05.03.21
Searching for form against high-flying Storks
Holstein Kiel are the visitors to the Volksparkstadion for the final encounter of Matchday 24, an appetising match-up as second faces fourth.
The task doesn’t get any easier for Hamburger SV as they look for a winning formula in Monday night’s (kick-off 8:30pm CET) northern duel against Holstein Kiel, who travel to the Volksparkstadion full of confidence for this top-of-the-table clash. Having to contend with a crushing derby defeat, an untimely loss of form and a number of personnel issues, the pressure is on for the Rothosen to turn it around, heading into a significant week in the battle for promotion from the 2. Bundesliga. The mood in the camp for local neighbours Kiel is decidedly different, sitting joint-top of the table and in good spirits after reaching the semi-final of the DFB Pokal for the first time in their history on Wednesday evening.
Focus on the visitors
Few would have predicted before the season started that the Storks would play such a prominent role in the fight for promotion from the second division. But that would be to ignore the rise of Kiel, around 70km north of Hamburg, who only returned to the second division in 2017/18 but have been building on and off the pitch since. The Holstein-Stadion has undergone significant renovation to expand to hold 15,034 fans, as well as a new and improved academy complex. Ole Werner, by far the youngest manager in the league at 32, is symbolic for this upward rise, having been at the club’s academy for over a decade, rising his way up the ranks to take over the first team in October 2019. An 11th-placed finish was to show at the end of Werner’s first season in charge, but the Storks started the 2020/21 season strongly and haven’t looked back, having been in the leading pack since Matchday 1. A 1-0 home victory against Erzgebirge Aue last Saturday saw the most northerly side in the division reclaim joint-top spot alongside VfL Bochum on 45 points, whilst Kiel have also enjoyed a fairytale run in the DFB Pokal this campaign, knocking out Bayern Munich on penalties, and advancing to the semi-final on Wednesday night thanks to a 3-0 victory over fourth-division Rot-Weiss Essen.
Opposition scouting report
One of the hallmarks for Werner’s side this season has been defensive solidity, 21 goals conceded from 23 games the lowest mark in the division. The other is how impressive they have been on their travels, and were unbeaten away from the Holstein-Stadion until their most recent away game, losing 2-1 to fellow promotion rivals Greuther Fürth at the Sportpark Ronhof, a result that was also unfortunate given the balance of play. Captain Hauke Wahl has been immense at centre-back, whilst left-back Mikkel Kerkeskov has provided a real dash of quality since signing from Piast Gliwice in the Polish Ekstraklasa during the winter transfer window.
Werner prefers to set his side up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, the line being led by standout player Jae-sung Lee. Yet the South Korean is no normal number nine, and plays more in a free-roaming role, looking to link up and make space for a number of runners from midfield. 34-year-old Fin Bartels has also been a revelation on his return to his boyhood club after signing in the summer from Werder Bremen, providing that extra touch of class and pace from the right wing, also chipping in with four goals and six assists. Especially against the makeshift defence of HSV and playing away from home, Werner might opt for a more traditional number nine instead in Janni Serra (seven goals) on Monday night, putting Lee out onto one of the wings, Serra more adept at challenging for long balls and holding it up before midfield runners arrive.
Gaps to fill for HSV
Daniel-Kofi Kyereh’s 87th-minute winner in Monday night’s derby wasn’t just a psychological sucker punch for the Rothosen, Rick van Drongelen suffering a torn ligament in his left ankle on his return to action after nine months out with a torn ACL, and Tim Leibold picking up a two-game suspension for his injury-time red card. The result is a selection headache for Daniel Thioune, as well as the question of who will fill in for Tim Leibold as captain on the pitch. Left-footed Moritz Heyer could fill in at left-back, as could Jan Gyamerah, whilst a switch to a back three is also a possibility that has been implemented a number of times already this season. The HSV coaching staff can also call upon the services of Amadou Onana again, who sat out his one-match suspension against St. Pauli. The Rothosen need to bounce back, suffering their second league loss in a row at the Millerntor, and only have one win from their last six. With all of the other three teams claiming at least a point on Matchday 23, HSV have slipped back to fourth position on 42 points, yet are still only within three of their opponents on Monday night.
Matchday facts
Kiel have only lost one of their last seven league games and after their win last Saturday, moved into an automatic promotion spot for the first time since Matchday 14.
The Storks' defensive solidity is underlined by the fact that no striker has scored against Kiel for eight games. The last striker to score against KSV was St. Pauli's Omar Marmoush on Matchday 15.
Kiel are also something of a bogey team for HSV. The 2018/19 season saw two wins for KSV, and has been followed by three successive draws, all including dramatic late equalisers.
Where can I watch the game?
UK, Ireland: BT Sport 3
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden: Viaplay, V Sport 3
Netherlands: ESPN 4
Poland, Portugal: Eleven Sports 2/4
Czech Republic, Slovakia: Digi Sport 3
Hungary: Sport 1
Israel: Charlton Sport 3
Romania: Telekom Sport 4
US: ESPN+
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela: OneFootball App