Football United

Winless HSV has a golden opportunity to feel what winning is like for the first time this season, as the Toppmöller team travels to meet the unbeaten third division North table-toppers Paderborn, in the first round of the German FA Cup. The HSV coach is without his Argentinean striker Bernardo Romeo, who has failed to recover in time from a strained adductor injury. He is also without midfielder Collin Benjamin, who broke his hand and underwent surgery this week. On the good news side, Toppi will be able to play one of the star signings of the close season Benny Lauth, who joined HSV in summer, but has yet top play for them.

Familiar face

Paderborn has a coach who used to play for HSV...called Dotchev. He has done sterling work at the club which is still unbeaten in the league. Paderborn has with Löbe, Donkov and Cartus, a few former professionals in its ranks. Dotchev can pick from a full strength squad for what promises to be the match of the season for Paderborn. Toppmöller will play a two-pronged attack consisting of Lauth and Mpenza. Sergej Barbarez will play behind the front two.

Fighting talk from Lauth

Benny lauth is burning to make his debut for his new club. The striker who turned 24 on August 4th, knows that it won't be easy, but remains upbeat regarding his side's chances at thre weekend: "We don't expect to thrash them 5 or 6 nil. But they play two divisions lower than us, so we must have enough confidence to say to ourselves that we can beat them," said Lauth, who when asked about the club's poor start to the season said: "Of course everyone is disappointed, but I plan to make a contribution to getting HSV back on track."

Probable line-ups:

SC Paderborn 07: Loboué - T. Becker, Waterink, Bollmann, Krösche - Aless. da Silva, Cartus, Spork, Schüßler - Löbe, R. Müller

HSV: Pieckenhagen - Wicky, van Buyten, B. Reinhardt, Kling - Jarolim - Mahdavikia, Barbarez, Rahn - Lauth, Mpenza

Source: HSV.de