Yesterday's top match of the 2nd Bundesliga between HSV and the 1.FC Union Berlin was also a match between the two hearts beating in my chest. My two favourite teams are playing in the same league for the first time this season and yesterday was their very encounter in a compulsory match.. The table leader played the third, the two strongest defensive teams of the league had come to an meet in a battle.
Both teams are working full steam on the big project called promotion to Bundesliga 1, with Hamburg being under much greater pressure to defend their lead. The team from the North of Germany was kicked out of Bundesliga 1 for the first time in their history and therefor are planning the immediate return Union of course wants to shorten the distance to the top and extend their streak of 13 games without losing. As the only team in the 2nd Bundesliga they are still undefeated.
HSV once again had to play a home game on an unloved Monday evening, which was easily noticeable when you played in the stadium. The Volksparkstadion was filled with "just" 45,584 spectators, although this is still an outstanding mark for a 2nd league match.
Hamburg also received the some bad news before the match, when goal scorer Pierre-Michel Lasogga was unable to play due to a calf injury. Instead of Lasogga the Korean Hee-Chan Hwang then joined the team, but he had a tough time against Union's defence.
The Game
Although HSV started full power and quite offensively, it was suddenly the Berliners who took the lead through Julian Pollersbeck quite early in the 12th minute. The Union player won the duels against two Hamburg games and scored unstoppable into the corner.
Before the halftime break, both teams didn't have any more big chances, so Union took the lead into the locker room.
After the restart HSV had to come and they did it with all their might. First it was Hunt in the 58th minute who equalized after a rare Union defensive error. And only seven minutes later it was Holtby who only had to push the ball into the empty goal. Union keeper Gikiewicz was able to fend off a Jaffa shot before, but he was also defenceless against the rebound.
Now it seemed that Hamburg was on the winning road. Until just before the end of the game, it looked as if they, under their new coach Wolf, would win the fifth compulsory game and break a historic record. But Union can not only defend but also attack and score goals. In the 90th minute Suleiman Abdullahi prevailed after a long ball against the HSV defense and scored the surprising equalizer. A strong performance from "Manni", as his teammates fondly call him.
Soon after, the game was over and the only team seeing cheering on the pitch was Union. After a strong and convincing second half, HSV had let the victory be taken out of their hands.
But the 2:2 result was no reason to be frustrated for either team. The HSV remains first in the table with a one point lead over the 1. FC Köln, and Union follows on the third place, equal on points with the St. Pauli behind. Especially the play-off place seems to be very hard-fought right now, all teams until place 6 are only one point behind.
The Outlook
Hamburg still appears to have a good run and the new coach Hannes Wolf is doing a great job. However, I have to point out again that his predecessor Christian Tiez has of course left neat work behind, which Wolf can now easily build on.
Also Union is still holding om and are still unbeaten after the top match in Hamburg. But in order to be able to really get to the top, they now have to win the next games. Otherwise, they will be quickly displaced on 3rd place, the competitors are already very close.
Next Saturday SV Darmstadt will be a next team coming to the Alte Försterei in Berlin and it looks like a task which should be manageable. I am sure that the charming Union stadium will be on fire again, in Hamburg too the guest fans have proved that they belong to the best and loudest fans of the country.
A deserved draw between HSV and Union! Neither of my favourite teams has lost and both are at the top of the table.
My heart has remained intact and I am looking forward to the second leg, albeit with mixed feelings!
Nur der HSV! and Eisern Union!
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