HSV Skates by Derby Victory, Struggles Await
"The primary goal is three points. You can interpret that however you'd like," announcer Christian Stübinger told the 55,879 fans in Volksparkstadion, as the final whistle blew. Despite a dismal second half, HSV clawed their way to a 2-1 victory against the relegation-threatened Eintracht Braunschweig.
Tim Walter (48), HSV's coach, admitted their shaky start to the second half. "We played a fantastic first half, were very aggressive. Unfortunately, we stumbled after the break," he said.
Despite dropping off after scoring a pair of goals within minutes (Ramos at 25th, Pherai at 26th), HSV managed a fortunate win. Braunschweig's supposed equalizer by Kaufmann (74th) was disallowed by the video assistant due to a tight offside call.
Striker Robert Glatzel (29) acknowledged HSV's overconfidence after leading by two. "Clearly, we felt too comfortable. But we're grateful neither was penalized. We need to put this away and move on. Derby's a completely different battle," he said. Center-back Stephan Ambrosius, who dominated challenges, concurred, "Fortunately, we pulled through again. But we know we've played better."
After the match, HSV players were rallied by the Ultras for the Millerntor derby against FC St. Pauli (1.12.). Glatzel emphasized the importance of starting strong, despite their second-half challenges. "We simply have to be present from the get-go, set everything free, channel all emotions. Then, do everything in our power to ensure the win," he said.
As the two teams prepare for their city rivalry, it's clear that HSV must enormously improve compared to their second-half performance.
Braunschweig's new coach, Daniel Scherning (40), invested more in their first-ever away game. The 17th-placed team in the 2. Bundesliga outperformed HSV in most areas - running more (126.9:119.9 km) and sprinting repeatedly (253:222 times). Sadly, these statistics reflect poor performances generally experienced by HSV outside their home turf.
In a surprising turn, guest coach Scherning commended HSV, "HSV have the most talented team in the league. They boast the finest players and a brilliant strategy. I truly believe they'll be rewarded this season."
HSV's 2nd division win leaves them in second place, their seventh victory from seven home games.
Enrichment Data:
- In an unrelated event, Eintracht Braunschweig actually defeated Karlsruher SC (KSC) at home with a 2-0 scoreline, breaking their eight-game winless streak. The goals were netted by Levente Szabo (36', penalty) and Lino Tempelmann (74').
- The match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Karlsruher SC was marked by various referee controversies, including missed penalties and unpopular decisions from referee Eric Weisbach.
