Stuttgart, 16th in the Bundesliga standings, is on track to stay in the Bundesliga after its big 3-0 victory at home against Hamburg, 3rd in the second division, Thursday in the first leg of accession-relegation.
The nightmare continues on the other hand for Hamburg which thought to hold its direct ticket for the Bundesliga after its success Sunday in Sandhausen (1-0). But while the fans were already celebrating the rise by invading the field, Heidenheim scored two goals in added time in Regensburg (3-2) to afford their first accession and send HSV into the play-off.
Scathing backhand
Visibly still sounded, Hamburg conceded a goal after barely a minute of play against Stuttgart. The Greek Konstantinos Mavropanos, forgotten by the opposing defense, headed a corner from Borna Sosa (1-0). If the Hamburg goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes repelled a penalty from Serhou Guirassy (25th), he could not do anything against his former teammate Josha Vagnoman, at the conclusion of a great collective action (2-0, 51st). In the process, Guirassy made up for his missed penalty by adding a third goal, with a header, on a new corner from Sosa (3-0, 54th). HSV ended this catastrophic evening at ten after the exclusion for a high foot of the Finn Anssi Suhonen, who had barely entered the game (70th)
This stinging loss leaves little hope for Hamburg before Monday’s return match at home. Since the reintroduction of a dam, only three clubs in the lower echelon have managed to come back up: Nuremberg in 2009, Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2012 and Union Berlin in 2019.
