Hamburg SV 1 - 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
A crowd of 48,509 in the AOL Arena on Saturday afternoon saw a game between HSV and Eintracht Frankfurt end in a dramatic 1-1 draw. The game was goalless until the 58th minute, until the HSV skipper Daniel van Buyten put the home side in front. Just as the home crowd was about to celebrate a 1-0 victory, the second half substitute Du-Ri Cha scored for the visitors in the last minute.
Tired legs
Only 43 hours after their gruelling UEFA Cup battle at home to FC Copenhagen (1-1), HSV took to the pitch in the AOL Arena again to lock horns with Eintracht Frankfurt, in round five of the Bundesliga. This time coach Thomas Doll was able to call up his Bosnian Striker Sergej Barbarez (34), who was also celebrating his birthday. Another addition to the HSV side was the veteran midfielder Stefan Beinlich, who has recovered from a thigh strain. Barbarez formed the Hamburg front line along with Benny Lauth. Beinlich moved into the position of the injured Wicky, and Guy Demel moved out to the right of defence. René Klingbeil took his place on the bench.
Doll was without his hard man Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz, who has a meniscus problem. Frankfurt coach Friedhelm Funkel picked Ioannis Amanatidis as his lone striker with Jermaine Jones, Alexander Meier and Stefan Lexa pulling the strings in midfield. The crowd saw the first chance of the game fall to HSV after five minutes, as a corner by van der Vaart was met by the head of Bastian Reinhardt, whose effort was brilliantly pushed away by the Frankfurt keeper Oka Nikolov. Belly Lauth blasted the follow up into the side netting by way of the outside of a post. Moments later, the visitors threatened for the first time, as Amanatidis saw his effort blocked by the HSV skipper Daniel van Buyten at the expense of a corner.
Barbarez goes close
On 19 minutes the home side could have taken the lead, but a delicate chip by Barbarez was plucked out of the air by Nikolov like a cherry from a tree. Nikolov was not the only keeper to have a good day. Stefan Wächter superbly saved a curling beautifully struck free kick by Lexa on 23 minutes. Shortly afterwards, Benny Lauth unselfishly passed to the better positioned Mehdi Mahdavikia in the Frankfurt box. The Iranian striker however, could only drive his shot wide. Wächter was forced into action again as the former HSV player Alex Meier played a superb ball to Amanatidis who shot straight away. Wächter flew thought the air to deny Frankfurt the lead. That was the last chance of the first half and the teams went into the break goalless
Late delight and despair
HSV started the livelier of the two teams as the second half began. The pressed forward a t every opportunity, but to little effect at first. The game petered out somewhat towards the middle of the second half, before Daniel van Buyten’s time came. On 64 minutes, the HSV skipper missed an easy header as he connected with a free kick taken by van der Vaart. Later on though, he was to go one better! Four minutes from time, the Dutchman fired in another cross into the Frankfurt area. This time the visitors did not clear their lines, and van Buyten scored from close range with a fine shot as he was falling. Nikolov was beaten at last!
Last minute horror
Funkel brought on the strikers Du-Ri Cha and Arie van Lent in the closing moments of the game, and it was a move which would pay off. A long speculative ball from midfield sailed into the HSV area, where the South Korean Cha rose at the far post to head home and steal a point for the visitors. Seconds later the referee blew for time, and HSV was left wondering what hit them. They were only seconds away from a 4th Bundesliga victory.
HSV: Wächter - Demel, Reinhardt, van Buyten, Atouba - Beinlich, Jarolim (70.Trochowski), Mahdavikia (60.Ziegler), van der Vaart - Barbarez, Lauth (82.Takahara)
Eintracht Frankfurt: Nikolov - Rehmer, Vasoski, Spycher, Preuß (88.Cha) - Chris (88.van Lent), Köhler, Lexa (66.Ochs), Jones, Meier - Amanatidis
Goals: 1:0 van Buyten (85.), 1:1 Cha (90.)
BUNDESLIGA
Pos. Team Pld Pts
1. Bayern Munchen 5 15
2. Bremen 5 12
3. Hamburg 5 11
4. Shalke 5 9
5. Köln 5 9
Source: hsv.de
