Friendlies
22.08.20
Two friendly losses against Danish sides in space of three days
FC Midtjylland and Randers FC travelled to Hamburg to complete pre-season friendlies against the 2. Bundesliga outfit, with the away teams emerging victorious on both occasions.
The preparation for the new 2. Bundesliga season continued with two friendlies for Hamburger SV against Superliga sides on Thursday and Saturday. Reigning Danish champions FC Midtjylland were the first visitors to the Volkspark on Thursday afternoon, and after a back-and-forth encounter, ran out 2-0 winners despite good chances for the hosts. Randers FC were the second team to travel back north of the border with a friendly win to show for their troubles, with a late winner sealing a 2-1 win on Saturday.
On Thursday (20th August), it was clear to see that the Danish side were much further in their preparations for the new season, with their Champions League qualifying tie against Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets only a week away, as they came flying out of the traps, putting the Rothosen under pressure from the off. Daniel Thioune’s men grew into the game after defending the opening Danish forays stoically, and had the best chance of the half when Lukas Hinterseer was denied by a player on the line twice in quick succession.
The guests started quickly again in the second half, and were rewarded for their dominance with the first goal of the game just before the hour mark, as Kaba slid in at the far post after a teasing cross across Daniel Heuer Fernandes’ six-yard area. David Kinsombi had the best chance of the second half for the Rothosen, but could only hit his attempt from ten yards out straight at the Midtjylland ‘keeper. And as the hosts pushed for an equaliser, their guests made them pay with an incisive counter-attack finished by Isaksen with the last kick of the game.
Goals: 0-1 Kaba (58’), 0-2 Isaksen (90’)
HSV 1st half: Pollersbeck - Vagnoman, Gjasula, David, Leibold - Dudziak, Kinsombi, Hunt - Jatta, Hinterseer, Narey
HSV 2nd half: Heuer-Fernandes - Narey (63‘ Opoku), David, Ambrosius, Narey - Kinsombi, Gjasula, Fabisch - Jatta (63’ Wintzheimer), Wood, Amaechi
Game highlights here
Lack of incision the downfall against Randers
The game against Randers FC on Saturday (22th August), who finished six places below Thursday’s visitors, was somewhat different due to the difference in quality of opposition. Whilst it took the home team a while to find their feet on Thursday, they controlled the game from the beginning against Randers, dominating possession and ultimately enjoying 13 corners compared to none for their visitors. Yet the command of possession couldn’t be converted into chances and it was the guests who went in front right at the end of the first third, as a cross from the right-hand side travelled all the way across the face of the goal and was turned in by Emil Riis Jakobsen at the far post.
The Rothosen managed to carve out an opening in the 53rd minute, as a delicious ball over the top from Tim Leibold was headed over the advancing Randers ‘keeper by Manuel Wintzheimer for a much sought-after equaliser. But the following passages of play yielded few threatening opportunities for the home side and the guests snatched a victory four minutes before the end, as they won the ball high up the pitch and Andre Römer fired in from the edge of the area at Julian Pollersbeck’s near post.
Goals: 0-1 Riis (30’), 1-1 Wintzheimer (53‘), 1-2 Römer (86‘)
HSV until 46th minute: Mickel - Opoku, Onana, Ambrosius, Leibold - Amaechi, Hunt, Dudziak - Wintzheimer, Wood, Jatta
HSV from 46th minute: Pollersbeck - Vagnoman, David, Ambrosius, Leibold - Onana, Gjasula, Dudziak - Opoku, Wintzheimer, Amaechi
HSV from 60th minute: Pollersbeck - Narey, David, Gjasula, Vagnoman - Fabisch, Kinsombi, Wintzheimer - Amaechi, Hinterseer, Opoku
Game highlights here