Terodde and Meißner shoot Hamburger SV back into promotion race
In their first match under interim trainer Horst Hrubesch, Hamburger SV made a huge statement with a 5-2 win over FC Nürnberg on Monday evening.
In its third season in Germany's second division, "Der Dino" still holds out hope for promotion back to the top tier.
The team previously never relegated from the Bundesliga finds itself three points off the playoff spot with two fixtures remaining.
In its third season in Germany's second division, "Der Dino" still holds out hope for promotion back to the top tier.
The team previously never relegated from the Bundesliga finds itself three points off the playoff spot with two fixtures remaining.
Club icon Horst Hrubesch, who recently took over for the relieved Daniel Thioune, got his team off to a winning start thanks in part to to some propitious luck. FCN defender Asger Sørensen accidentally deflected a Robin Meißner effort into his own net at the half-hour mark. Meißner would set up midfielder Bakery Jatta for a 2-0 advantage six minutes later.
Nürnberg pulled a goal back before the end of the half and came very close to equalizing before Terodde struck two minutes into first half-injury time. HSV forward Sonny Kittel put the game beyond reach with a tally to make it 4-1 in the 76th. Terodde would score his second from the penalty spot four minutes later. FCN substitute Linus Rosenlöcher would grab a consolation in the 89th.
The win certainly boosts the one-time northern powerhouse's chances of catching up with SpVgg Greuther Fürth for the third-place playoff spot. Hrubesch's crew play weaker opponents--VfL Onsnabrück and Eintracht Braunschweig--in the final two rounds of the season while their Bavarian competitors must play Paderborn and Düsseldorf. The HSV maintain a plus-two goal differential over the Kleeblätter.
Elsewhere in the 2. Bundesliga on Monday, Holstein Kiel completed its penultimate make-up match with a 1-0 win over Hannover 96. This constitutes a huge result for the northern storks as they move up to 2nd place in the table whilst still having a game at hand.
At present, it looks as if the VfL Bochum will probably clinch the division and promotion. Fürth, Kiel, and Hamburg may be considered contenders for the final automatic promotion spot and the playoff space. Hopefuls Fortuna Düsseldorf, after a draw this weekend, are not mathematically eliminated, but would need a perfect miracle to catch up.