Football United

HSV won 3-1 away to Mainz in round four of the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon. Swiss international Raphael Wicky headed in a corner on 43 minutes to give HSV the lead. After the break Mehdi Mahdavikia scored on 56 minutes, before Petr Ruman pulled a goal back for the home side 13 minutes later. Two minutes later, HSV restored their two goal advantage, as superb approach work by first Barbarez and then Lauth, put Rafael van der Vaart in on goal from where he rounded the keeper before slotting home from inside the area.

Doll picks same side
The Mainz coach Jürgen Klopp, whose side had yet to gather a point or indeed a goal in the Bundesliga so far this season before the fourth round visit of HSV, made three changes to his side which lost 0-2 to Bielefeld in round 3. The former Dortmund striker Addo got the nod ahead of Ruman, and new signing Zidan replaced the injured Auerer. Finally, Weigelt was preferred to Rose in the back four. The HSV coach Thomas Doll stuck with the side which drew 1-1 against defensively- minded Hanover last time out. This meant that Mahdavikia kept his place in the starting line-up, instead of the injured veteran midfielder Stefan Beinlich.

Bright start by Mainz
Mainz was propping up the Bundesliga table aghead of the visit of HSV, and the way they played during the opening stages made a mockery of that stastistic. The home side attacked the visitors from the off, and had HSV on the back foot for the opening minutes. The first shot of the match fell to Zidan on 3 minutes, but he pulled a shot well wide of Wächter’s goal.

First threat
It took ten minutes for the Intertoto Cup winners to make a mark on the game, as Benny Lauth passsed to Barbarez, only to see the sting of that pass being taken out by the home keeper Wache. Mainz continued to push forward, and was almost rewarded for that pressure on 17 minutes. A Thurk cross found its way to Addo, whose shot dropped just wide of Wächter’s right hand post.



HSV wake up at last
That chance by Addo served as a wake up call for the visitors. The rare danger created by HSV mostly came from dead ball situations. That was the case on 26 minutes, as a free kick from van der Vaart was deflected off the Mainz wall, before dropping just wide of the post with Wache beaten. The Mainz keeper continued his top form by saving well from a Barbarez effort on 29 minutes and a long range effort from Atouba four minutes later.

Wicky heads HSV in front
Just as the capacity crowd inside the Stadion am Bruchweg thought that the game would go into the beak goaless, HSV took the lead. A corner from the right by van der Vaart found ist way to the unmarked Wicky, who got to the ball ahead of Wache, heading easily home from close range.



Mehdi makes it 2-0
The home side attacked HSV at the start of the second half, but the Hamburg side stood firm and waited fort he chance to counter attack. On 56 minutes, just such an attack saw HSV double their lead as Barbarez produced a wonderful pass to Jarolim on the left. The Czech-born midfielder advanced into the Mainz box before threading the ball through to Mahdavikai, who slid the ball home unchallenged.

Mainz pulls one back
The second HSV goal shocked the home side at first, but to their credit they hit back on 69 minutes, as the HSV skipper Daniel van Buyten lost the ball going forward. Gerber took possession before passing to the second half substitute Ruman who headed down and past Wächter in the HSV goal. New signing Reto Ziegler came on after 74 minutes for Benny Lauth. It was the first game in a HSV shirt for the young Swiss player.

Swift reply from HSV
The celebrations of the home fans didn’t last long, because HSV restored their two goal advantage only two minutes after the home side scored. This time, a sweet through ball from Benny Lauth to van der Vaart, saw the talented Dutchman receive the ball on his left foot, before rounding the Mainz keeper and pushing the ball home with his left foot on 71 minutes. HSV remains third in the Bundeliga table, while Mainz was left to ponder the fact that they are still bottom.



Mainz: Wache - Abel, M. Friedrich, Noveski, Weigelt - F. Gerber, Babatz, da Silva - O. Addo, Thurk - Zidan

HSV: Wächter - Demel, Boulahrouz, van Buyten, Atouba - Wicky - Mahdavikia, Jarolim - van der Vaart - Lauth, Barbarez

Goals: 0:1 Wicky (43.), 0:2 Mahdavikia (56.), 1:2 Ruman (69.), 1:3 van der Vaart (71.)



Source: hsv.de