Hamburger SV no longer has a chance of promotion to the Bundesliga. Coach Steffen Baumgart’s team deservedly lost 0-1 (0-1) at SC Paderborn on Friday evening. With one game still to play, HSV can no longer make up the four-point gap to the relegation place. Fortuna Düsseldorf is assured of at least third place.
In front of 15,000 spectators in the sold-out Paderborn Stadium, Koen Kostons scored the decisive goal for the hosts in the seventh minute. Hamburg played as if inhibited and were harmless on offense.
“The disappointment is very, very big,” Baumgart admitted to Sky. Even with the coach on the sidelines, who was brought in as Tim Walter’s successor on February 20th, promotion didn’t work. Instead, HSV has to make another attempt, from 2024/25 it will be the seventh season in the 2nd league.
Paderborn started strong and combined impressively through the midfield again and again. Coach Lukas Kwasniok’s team rewarded themselves early for their committed performance: Kostons beat Miro Muheim after a cross and shot the ball powerfully under the crossbar from an acute angle. The goalscorer, who missed a free pass in front of HSV goalkeeper Matheo Raab, and Raphael Obermair had further chances for the hosts.
Almost nothing came from Hamburg on the offensive. Baumgart, who ran tirelessly up and down the sidelines at his old coaching place, was visibly dissatisfied with his team’s performance. When he didn’t like that midfielder Anssi Suhonen wanted to take a throw-in, he took the ball out of the 23-year-old’s hands himself. Baumgart made three substitutions for the second half.
But the SCP still had the better chances. Filip Bilbija failed to hit the post (59′) and headed into the arms of Raab (71′). At the back, Calvin Brackelmann saved against Hamburg’s Ransford Königsdörffer.
1. FC Magdeburg, however, is still not sure of staying in the league. On Friday evening, the Saxony Anhalters only managed a goalless draw in the last home game of the season against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. In front of 26,620 spectators, Magdeburg once again failed due to their harmless attack. Fürth played calmly in a balanced game, but without being completely convincing.
Although the hosts started off powerfully, it was clear early on that things weren’t going well in attack. Amara Condé had the only compelling opportunity in the first half, but his goal was disallowed for offside. Fürth stood up, but the Franconians didn’t have much to offer up front either. Things only got tricky after Magdeburg lost the ball slightly in the build-up game, but Robert Wagner (40′) couldn’t get the ball past FCM goalkeeper Dominik Reimann.
After the change, both teams stepped up their efforts and created chances. Tim Lemperle (57th) missed the greatest opportunity to date when he got past Reimann, but Tobias Müller, who was sprinting back, hit the ball off the line. From then on, Fürth was the more determined team. Dennis Srbeny (65th) hit the side netting, Armindo Sieb (70th) missed clearly from a good position. Far too little came forward from Magdeburg to put Fürth in any decisive distress.
