1. FC Kaiserslautern has let the victory slip away in the prestigious 2. Bundesliga duel against Hamburger SV. HSV equalized in injury time. The match on Saturday evening ended 2:2 (1:0).
Ragnar Ache put the “Red Devils” in front after a free kick variation (33′), shortly after the restart Richmond Tachie held out his foot after a cross from the left and increased the score to 2-0. Robert Glatzel made it exciting again after a corner (58′). Davie Selke scored the final point of the happy ending for HSV (90’+5′).
“It doesn’t feel like a defeat – but it’s sickening,” FCK goalkeeper Julian Krahl said angrily after the game on the Sportschau microphone, “we played a very good game today against a very good opponent. And when you concede the equalizer in the 95th minute, you’re totally done for.” Davie Selke said of the same moment: “A striker lives for moments like this. To score such an important goal in front of our numerous fans who always accompany us: outstanding.” “His coach Steffen Baumgart said: “It feels like a victory. We would have liked to have had more, though. At least we have one point more than yesterday.” But he was also happy about the development in his team: “If you watch the whole game, you see the boys fighting, especially the ones who come in. That’s what we want to see!”
HSV gets off to a better start
The guests took the initiative from the start, but kept bouncing off the Lautern defense. It took until the 19th minute for the guests to create their first top-class chance: After a bad pass in the build-up play by Lautern’s Marlon Ritter, Silvan Hefti served the starting Glatzel, who was stopped in the penalty area by FCK keeper Julian Krahl.
Marius Müller, Sportschau, 21.09.2024 22:46
Until the middle of the first period, Steffen Baumgart’s team had 70 percent of the ball possession – but there were no chances to score. As the game heated up, the players at Betzenberg struck: In a rehearsed free kick variation a good 20 meters to the left of the goal, the ball came from Ritter to Aaron Opoku, who passed it to the unmarked Erik Wekesser on the left. His cross slipped through to Ache, who stretched out his leg and scored to take the lead.
Shocked Hamburgers receive another blow
HSV seemed shocked and suffered another blow shortly after the restart. Again it was a cross from the left, again a long leg hit the ball, but this time the executors were different. Boris Tomiak initiated the move this time, passing it out to the left to Opoku, who saw the space for Tachie with his cross and played it precisely there.
Marius Müller, Sportschau, 21.09.2024 22:55
But the Hamburg sports club did not give up. After a corner from Miro Muheim, Krahl misjudged the situation and missed the ball. Glatzel was in the right place in the hustle and bustle in the FCK’s five-yard box and was virtually unable to prevent the goal.
As HSV increased the pressure further, the dangerous Ache narrowly missed when Ritter played a flat pass from the right into the center of the attack.
Marius Müller, Sportschau, 21.09.2024 23:07
Krahl has his hands full
In the final phase, keeper Krahl had to show all his skills: substitute Adam Karabec aimed for the near corner from twelve meters, but Krahl was there. When Baumgart brought Jean-Luc Dompe into play, HSV almost celebrated the equalizer: after a nice combination, the ball landed at Glatzel, who shot at goal with his heel, but Jan Elvedi saved for his keeper, who was beaten this time. But Krahl had to step in again a little later when Jonas Meffert headed the ball towards the Lautern goal and again when Dompe fired a shot from 22 meters. By now, the keeper had more than made up for his mistake when Hamburg scored again.
In the hectic final phase, HSV goalkeeper Matheo Raab saved against Wekesser. But as the fans at Lautern’s Betzenberg were longing for the final whistle, Selke scored: Elvedi blocked well against Dompe, but Karabec’s cross from the right found the head of Selke, who scored the ultimately deserved equaliser for Hamburg with a header.
Lautern in Regensburg, Hamburg against Paderborn
Next week, 1. FC Kaiserslautern will travel to Regensburg (28.09., 13:00). At the same time, Hamburger SV will face SC Paderborn (28.09., 13:00).