No mistake from HSV, Sandhausen move off the bottom, and Hürzeler era opens up with win

The 2. Bundesliga continued on Sunday. HSV started hot, allowed their opponents to get back in the game… but then actually won? Sandhausen showed the league table is a lie, and St. Pauli won on Fabian Hürzeler’s opening match as head coach. All recapped here:

Hamburger SV 4-2 Eintracht Braunschweig

Despite a short delay after poor visibility, there was certainly no delay in the action at the Volksparkstadion. Robert Glatzel netted the opener after just two minutes, a Miro Muheim cross found Glatzel who took a touch and slotted the ball into the net. HSV seemed to be cruising as they doubled the lead on 17 minutes, Jean-Luc Dompé’s ball in was headed home by an unmarked Moritz Heyer. However, it wouldn’t be Hamburger SV without drama. Especially against teams in the bottom half of the table. An individual piece of magic from Keita Endo opened up space for Fabio Kaufmann’s effort, the shot from outside the box was launched above Daniel Heuer Fernandes’ diving hand and in the top of the net. Normal service was resumed for Tim Walter’s side as Glatzel scored again, his 13th of the season, and restored the two-goal advantage. EBS didn’t go away, like a typical little brother. They probed and had chances, a hit-and-hope effort from Danilo Weiber was deflected by HSV captain Sebastian Schonlau, which meant keeper Heuer Fernandes was a step too late. The score was 3-2, and in seasons past Hamburg would crumble. Not this time. With Braunschweig throwing everything at stealing a point, Ludovit Reis could run and run, entering the penalty area before slotting the ball in, and winning a huge three points for Hamburg. Phew if you are a Hamburg fan.

Arminia Bielefeld 1-2 SV Sandhausen

Even though it’s matchday 18 in the 2. Bundesliga, this game was pretty massive. Arminia, after only being relegated last season, sat in the relegation-playoff position, while their opponents Sandhausen were rock-bottom in the table. You wouldn’t think that after the opening 30 minutes at the SchücoArena. The two brothers in attack for Sandhausen linked up as David Kinsombi’s shot was saved, but Christian Kinsombi made no mistake with the rebound. Sandhausen were in dreamland as Kerim Calhanoglu’s cross from the left-hand side was tapped in by Alexander Esswein. It was a weird goal, the cross was in between the attacker and keeper but the striker got a leg out and just about took the ball away from Bielefeld goalkeeper Martin Fraisl. Arminia Bielefeld halved the deficit when a free-kick aimed to the back-post was hit on the half-volley by Andrés Andrade, the ball crept in the net. It wasn’t enough, and Sandhausen headed back to Baden-Württemberg with a huge win, which moved them six places to 12th!

1. FC Nürnberg 0-1 FC St. Pauli

New Pauli head coach Fabian Hürzeler lined his team up in a 3-5-2 and faced a Nürnberg side with a relatively new coach of their own (Markus Weinzierl). It wasn’t the best game in Bavaria, and was decided from a set piece. A free-kick found defender Jakov Medic, and the Croatian got in front of Fabian Nürnberger, and headed past Peter Vindahl Jensen. Nürnberg had a plethora of opportunities after the St. Pauli goal, the best being for Lino Tempelmann on 38 minutes. He was unmarked and Nikola Vasilj saved his poor effort from close range. The win lifts St. Pauli to 10th in the table, while Nürnberg fall to 13th after the Sandhausen victory.

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