VfB Stuttgart remains first class
HSV missed relegation miracle after goalkeeper dropout
06/05/2023 10:42 p.m
The early lead makes Hamburger SV dream of returning to the Bundesliga, but then hopes are shattered. The second division team also lost the second leg of the relegation against VfB Stuttgart. A bitter HSV blunder opened the way for Stuttgart to stay up.
Next 2nd league instead of miracles from the Elbe: Hamburger SV missed the long-awaited return to the Bundesliga at the fifth attempt, VfB Stuttgart celebrates staying up in the league. Four days after the 0:3 swatter from the first leg, HSV also lost the heated relegation second leg 1:3 (1:0) – and so the sixth season in a row in the 2nd division awaits the once great traditional club . While the Stuttgart fans were partying in the stands, tears flowed from many of the people in Hamburg.
“It wasn’t a game for the faint of heart,” said VfB sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth on Sky, “we conceded a goal straight away and played a relatively weak first half. But then we got out of the break well and made it 1-1 steered the game our way.” Sebastian Hoeneß, the fourth coach of the season, “we brought in at the right time,” said Wohlgemuth, “he played a big part in keeping the class.”
The disappointment at HSV was great, the long-awaited return to the Bundesliga was missed at the fifth attempt, and many Hamburgers shed tears in the stands. “It’s a brutal disappointment, it hurts,” said HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, “when you see how big and powerful the club is. We gave it our all this season.”
Sonny Kittel (6th) quickly gave HSV the lead in front of 55,500 spectators in the sold-out Volksparkstadion, and belief in the sensation grew – but Enzo Millot (48th and 64th) destroyed all Hamburg hopes with his brace and gave Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß a steady pulse. Before the Frenchman’s second goal, HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, who had been the best Hamburger in the first leg, made a serious mistake. In addition, Silas scored (90 + 7).
This is the 19th time that the Bundesliga club has prevailed in the relegation – in a total of 25 duels. HSV had already failed in the two finals last year, then at Hertha BSC.
Four yellow cards after the second VfB goal
It takes a “football miracle. We will fight to the end,” Walter said before the game – and kept whipping his team and the fans on the sidelines. The Hamburgers also cheered – as desired – quickly after Kittel’s powerful shot, which smacked into the goal from the inside of the post. A good ten minutes later, however, the joy was at least as great after the supposed 1-1 for VfB was conceded by Serhou Guirassy due to an offside position from the video assistant. It would have been the early end of all HSV dreams.
But HSV kept running, trying to build up their momentum. But the Stuttgart team was able to defend the attacks again and again and set pinpricks themselves via Guirassy or Millot. Over time, the guests even took control of the game.
HSV continued to give everything, brought a lot of passion to the pitch – but again and again the necessary precision was missing against ripped-off Swabians. The guests stayed cool even in tricky situations, with the 3-0 from the first leg in mind – and then shortly after the break Millot struck ice cold.
After the second Stuttgart goal, there was a wild pack formation, referee Bastian Dankert handed out four yellow cards. After that it got quite quiet in the stadium at times, the HSV players seemed to have pulled the plug. Stuttgart brought the success to the finish line – and can continue to play on the big stage.