Eintracht Frankfurt 2 - 3 HSV
Hamburg managed another glorious night after the 4 -1 victory agains Freiburg on last weekend. Last night in Frankfurt the team from the German Veneza was clear a giant.
On 17 minutes HSV were ahead, as Frankfurt's Albanian Skela headed the ball to the feet of Stefan Beinlich, who placed a shot from 28 yards out just inside the post to give the visitors the lead. The second HSV goal just arrived on the second half. Barbarez crossed into the box following a corner, Takahara was not marked closely enough and had no trouble making it 2-0 with a close range header on 52 minutes. One minute later Frankfurt managed to score and they equalized at 66´.
But Five minutes from time, Beinlich set Barbarez up inside the Frankfurt box with a fabulous overhead kick. The Bosnian goal-getter didn't need to be asked twice, as he gleefully slotted home from close range to give HSV what all present thought was the late winner. This game however, had another final twist in its tail, as the referee gave a dubious penalty in the 88th minute, as Reinhardt was adjudged to have fouled Frommer in the box. Up stepped Skela who struck the ball to Wächter's left. The HSV keeper who has been in fine form since replacing the injured Martin Pieckenhagen, produced a fine save to keep the ball out, and in doing so, ensure that HSV have a happy Christmas which no-one would have deemed to be possible just seven games ago.
So HSV are now ninth in the Bundesliga table, and deservedly so. After a horryble start of the season nobody would expect to see Hamburg going to the Winter brake with only two points less than the 5th place (that gives access to the UEFA Cup). So we must take the hat off to Klaus Toppmöller and his battlers, who proved yet again that they have a champions spirit with now 5 match unbeaten run.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Nikolov - Preuß, Bindewald, Puljiz, Cipi - Chris, Schur, Skela, Bürger - Cha, Beierle - Trainer: Reimann
HSV: Wächter - Wicky, Hoogma, Reinhardt - Mahdavikia, Jarolim, Maltritz, Beinlich, Kling - Takahara, Barbarez - Trainer: Toppmöller
Goals: 0:1 Beinlich (17), 0:2 Takahara, 1:2 Skela (53), 2:2 Beierle (66.), 2:3 Barbarez (85).
