Friendly Match

Stern test - HSV draw 1-1 with Sparta Rotterdam

HSV drew 1-1 against Dutch top flight side Sparta Rotterdam in the opening friendly of the training camp stay in Austria. Second half substitute Bakery Jatta equalised for the Bundesliga side in the second half.

The opening friendly of the Austrian training camp stay ended in a 1-1 draw against Sparta Rotterdam on Tuesday (July 25). A crowd of 2,000 at the Velly Arena Tirol saw Rick van Drongelen give Sparta the lead on 28 minutes. Bakery Jatta levelled for the Rothosen on 77 minutes.

HSV head coach Markus Gisdol began with new signing Julian Pollersbeck in goal. Fellow keeper Christian Mathenia will start the next friendly. Nicolai Müller played behind front man Bobby Wood. The Rothosen passed well early on but lacked prowess in front of goal as balls into the box from Wood (12.) and Kostic (17.) narrowly missed Hahn in the middle. On 23 minutes Müller set up Hahn who fired wide from only 8 metres out.

Filip Kostic in full flow: Hamburg’s left winger looked good during the first half.

HSV caught cold

Rotterdam opened the scoring against the run of play as a harmless free kick taken by Sanusi was floated into the HSV box. Pollersbeck failed to hold onto the greasy ball and Rick van Drongelen was perfectly placed to give the Dutch team the lead. Hahn who was HSV’s best man in the first half could only look on as Sparta keeper Kortsmit punched his header clear following a cross by Sakai on the stroke of half time. Moments before hand Pollersbeck did well standing his ground to deny Spiering after a useful move by the Dutch. The keeper got a glove to the attempted lob. Sparta led 1-0 at the break.

Jatta levels

Gisdol made five changes for the start of the second half, replacing Ekdal, Jung, Müller, Kostic and Hahn with Janjicic, Walace, Holtby, Jatta and Hunt. Hamburg had more of the ball ans posed more of a threat but Holtby and Hunt both had shots blocked on 66 minutes. At the other end Pollersbeck saved a long distance effort by Sanusi as well as an effort by Volas on the rebound (70.). Jatta had Hamburg’s best chance on 73 minutes after being found by Holtby. Substitute Sparta keeper Verrips blocked the effort with his body. The HSV duo went one better however only four minutes later. This time a well worked move by the Bundesliga side ended with Jatta netting from close range after being set up by Holtby.

It was the final action in what was a decent Rothosen performance. HSV now face Turkish outfit Antalyaspor in Schwaz on Monday. Gisdol said after the game: “I saw plenty of positives and it was a good test for us. We passed well and worked well against the ball. If points had been at stake the result would have annoyed my but that is not the case so I’m happy.”

Match details

HSV: Pollersbeck - Diekmeier (69. Behounek), Papadopoulos (60. Thoelke), Mavraj, Sakai - Jung (46. Walace), Ekdal (46. Janjicic) - Hahn (46. Hunt), Müller (46. Holtby), Kostic (46. Jatta) - Wood (60. Lasogga)

Goals: 0:1 van Drongelen (27.), 1:1 Jatta (77.)

Att: 2.000