Hamburg second division
How HSV then grew up
Status: 1:32 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
A team that inspires the fans – the HSV team, led by Jonas Meffert, celebrates their victory in front of the curve
Quelle: Getty Images
Instead of wild attacking football, Hamburger SV is going for a serious style this season. The calculation works: For the third time in a row, HSV didn’t concede a goal in the 2nd division. For some guest fans from Rostock, the game has an aftermath.
Hamburger SV has discovered the joy of successful defense. “We’re very happy at the back that we’ve kept a clean sheet three times in a row. And a bit proud of it because it’s been a long time since we kept a clean sheet three times in a row,” said midfielder Jonas Meffert on Sunday after the 2-0 win against Hansa Rostock in the second Bundesliga. “I’m particularly proud of the team that we kept a clean sheet,” added Laszlo Benes, who returned from an infection.
Most recently, in the fall of 2018 – in the then second division premiere season after relegation – the Hamburg team kept three clean sheets in the league. Goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, who is happy about a clean sheet, said: “It’s very cool to keep a clean sheet.”
The captain is back: Hamburg’s Sebastian Schonlau (r) and Rostock’s Juan Jose Perea fighting for the ball
Source: dpa
The adult and sovereign appearance of the leaders in the game against Rostock strengthened the impression that the team has made a decisive step in development compared to the previous season. HSV is currently well on the way to beating the 45 goals they conceded last season. The lack of stability in defense was a major factor in why the resurgence project failed for the fifth time.
The team is sticking to what they learned from the past season, which coach Tim Walter formulated a few weeks ago: Experience is important, but the results have to be right at the same time. The bill is currently paying off. With the goals of Ludovit Reis (45th + 6th) and Laszlo Benes (48th), HSV climbed back to the top and is one point ahead of Holstein Kie with 13 points – and at the back there is zero.
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Captain Sebastian Schonlau spoke “from behind” of a “serious” game. In the past it was sometimes the case that Walter’s team got nervous when there hadn’t been a chance to score for a long time. “I didn’t have that feeling at all today or in the past games. It was just very controlled,” added the 29-year-old.
The wild Walter football is apparently over. The calm and patience in some game situations, such as the 1-0 win at Hannover 96 and the 3-0 win against Hertha BSC before that, illustrate the change of heart. Schonlau praised the “sovereign” performances. “That’s why we’re on the right track in terms of results and performance.”
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The captain made his starting XI comeback after a calf problem and replaced Guilherme Ramos, who has been suspended for two games following a red card. In particular, new signing Dennis Hadzikadunic on loan showed a good performance again in central defense in the Volksparkstadion, which was sold out for the eleventh time in a row. After slight initial difficulties, he seems as if he has settled in at HSV. “It was good to see how compact we can defend,” said Meffert.
Even Tim Walter couldn’t avoid emphasizing the work of the defense in a positive way. Nevertheless, he was slightly annoyed about the missing third goal. “That’s the only thing I blame my boys for, that we didn’t do the third,” said the coach.
Criminal proceedings against four Rostock fans
The guests from Rostock took their defeat in a sporty manner – some fans, on the other hand, were less concerned about fairness. According to the federal police, criminal proceedings for incitement to hatred have been initiated against four followers. When they arrived at the game on Sunday, the men between the ages of 20 and 40 loudly sang an inciting song (“Subway Song”). They were about to board a provided S-Bahn. When officials intervened, the 40-year-old “put up considerable resistance”, as the federal police announced on Sunday evening.
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The Volksparkstadion was sold out with 57,000 spectators, including more than 5,000 Hansa supporters. At the beginning of the game, several smoke pots were lit in the Rostock fan block. The game was briefly interrupted due to the heavy smoke and poor visibility on the field.
The Hamburg police drew a “predominantly positive balance” on Sunday evening. Overall, the police recorded a largely peaceful course of action. A few arrests were made for criminal offenses. “The separation of the two fan camps, in particular the fan clientele that is relevant from the point of view of the police, was the top priority and was successfully guaranteed,” said a statement from the Hamburg police. The Hamburg police had more than 800 officers on duty with support from Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well as the federal police.
