Football United

HSV entered round 3 of the new Bundesliga season bottom of the Bundesliga table. They had lost both of their opening matches and desperately needed a win to stop the rot. Coach Klaus Toppmöller made only one change top the side which lost 1-2 in Mainz last time out, Schlicke came in for the talented youngster Kling. Nürnberg's coach Wolfgang Wolf saw no reason to change his successful side, which started Saturday's game (28.8.04) in third pace in the Bundesliga table in front of 36,587 in the AOL Arena.

Perfect start

Perfect football conditions greeted the players, but both sides began the game somewhat cautiously. Neither team was able to stamp any authority on the game during the opening exchanges. Then on 12 minutes, HSV got the breakthrough that they had been hoping for, albeit out of the blue. Nürnberg failed to clear a free kick by Rahn. The big Belgian defender and HSV skipper Daniel van Buyten capitalised on the mistake to put his side in front with a right footed shot inside the area. Just what the doctor ordered for the HSV nerves!

HSV grew in confidence with the lead in their pocket and started to find cracks in the Nürnberg defence. Mpenza and Mahdavikia caused the Nürnberg defence headaches with their blistering pace. A half chance on 30 minutes by Vittek seemed to give the visitors some confidence and they came more and more into the game. Eight minutes later the visitors struck. Mintal wasn't marked closely enough by Wicky at a Banovic corner, and he equalised from close range. Luckily for HSV they weren't daunted by the setback. Five minutes before the break they drew level as Schlicke capitalised on a tangle of Nürnberg bodies involving Vittek and Bosacki. HSV went into the half time break with a slender lead.

As you were

Both sides emerged from the half time break unchanged. Mahdavikia had a chance to put HSV further ahead on 48 minutes, and Schroth could have equalised two minutes later. On 51 minutes Barbarez produced a superb pass which put Mpenza into space running into the right side of the area. The Belgian didn't need to be asked twice as he gleefully slotted home into the bottom right hand corner.

Nürnberg draw level

On 76 minutes, the former HSV player Marcel Ketelaer set up Mintal who bagged his second goal of the game to bring the visitors back into the game. Seven minutes from time, Mintal struck again to bring the newly-promoted side level, and everything looked to be working against HSV.

Happy end

The home side however, had another trick up their sleeve as a half-bicycle kick by Mpenza from foive yards out produced a reflex save by the Nürnberg keeper Schäfer. Bosacki tried to clear the danger, but the ball rebounded into the net off the knee of the second half substitute Benny Lauth, who scored his first goal for his new club and it turned out to be the winner.

1.FC Nürnberg: Schäfer - Wiblishauser (72. Ketelaer), Hajto, Wolf, Bosacki - Sven Müller (78. Kießling), Banovic (59. Lars Müller), Mintal, Larsen - Schroth, Vittek

Hamburger SV: Pieckenhagen - Schlicke, Reinhardt, van Buyten, Wicky - Rahn (56. Kling), Jarolim (89. Brecko), Beinlich, Mahdavikia - Barbarez (73. Lauth), Mpenza

Goals: 1:0 van Buyten (12.), 1:1 Mintal (38.), 2:1 Schlicke (40.,), 3:1 Mpenza (51.,), 3:2 Mintal (76.,), 3:3 Mintal (83.), 4:3 Lauth (86.)

Source: HSV.de