Hamburg SV

[Oliver_Kahn]

Great win for them. Stevens must be proud.

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MD22: Werder Bremen - Hamburg
Stadium: Weserstadion
Date: Saturday, 17th Feb, 15:30 C.E.T.

Quick Bremen stats
Current League Form: WWWLL

Once they faced some strong serious opponents, Bremen collapsed. Schalke beat them in their home 2-0 and they were humiliated in Stuttgart 4-1. Bremen is 6 points behind Schalke and 6 points above the current champions Bayern München.
This match is a must win for them as they want to confirm they're still here. But in front of them is a Hamburg which only got their second win and their first home win this weekend from beating Dortmund 3-0, as their captain Van Der Vaart was back. Can Huub Stevens (coach of Hamburg) confirm Bremen's crisis by beating them? We shall see on Saturday.

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Crucial for the future

Saturday's Northern Derby promises to be a special occasion. Werder need the points to keep pressure on Schalke, HSV to avoid the drop.

There's tension in the air at Werder Bremen. The "Autumn Champions” are struggling to find that winning touch. Following two straight defeats, Werder are six points off Schalke in the standings. Now they face local rivals Hamburg. The team isn't pressing any panic buttons just yet.

"We're remaining optimistic, even though we lost against both Schalke and Stuttgart. There's still 13 games to go, and a lot can happen. We're hopeful that we can still lift the trophy. We need to get all three points against Hamburg on Saturday", Tim Wiese demanded.

"When you have fun, you work harder"

Three points in one game is something Hamburg desperately need as well. Hamburg are still bottom, and head coach Huub Stevens is trying every trick in the book to get his players psyched up for the derby.

"For me it's important that the players retain their self-confidence. In these difficult times, they have to enjoy training. When you have fun, you work harder", Stevens explained.

Wiese can't find the words

Over in Bremen, Tim Wiese is focussing on his first ever title. But he is wondering about Hamburg's situation. Until recently, Bremen versus Hamburg was a clash between two title candidates. It's proof that the Bundesliga is as competitive as ever.

"Now it's a game between a title hopeful and a possible relegation candidate. Many people can't comprehend what is happening in Hamburg. They have a great team with classy players. We cannot understand why they are at the bottom. They gave up two important players and then this happened. I can't find the words to describe it", Wiese says.

Stevens with "clear-cut game plan"

Hamburg aren't fussy about who they line up against. Only points will help ease the pressure, and that means against every opponent. Despite the extra passion surrounding the derby, Huub Stevens is not prepared to change his meticulous approach to preparing the squad.

"As always, I'll be precise with the players. That means there will be a clear-cut game plan, and the players must stick to it."

There's plenty to play for. Hamburg need to win in order to get out of the drop zone, and Werder need the points to make up lost ground to Schalke. It could be the most important clash between the two in years. In the build-up to the big match, both camps are eager to explain that a tactical non-happening is not on the cards.

"This will be a very special game"

"For us and the fans, this will be a very special game, regardless if Hamburg are at the top or down at the bottom. On paper, Hamburg have a super team", Werder's Daniel Jensen explains.

Last season, the two teams clashed to decide who would finish second. But there's more at stake this time around. Suddenly, the derby between Werder and Hamburg is crucial for the futures of both clubs. One thing's for sure: it has all the makings of being a classic Bundesliga showdown!

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HT' Werder Bremen 0-1 Hamburger SV (42' v.d. Vaart (pen))

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FT' Werder Bremen 0-2 Hamburger SV (42' v.d. Vaart (pen), 87' v.d. Vaart)

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The third consecutive loss in the league for Bremen. Crisis confirmed.

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After the 3-0 home win against Dortmund, Hamburg managed to get another win, now away, against Werder Bremen, 2-0. van der Vaart scored twice for Hamburg to secure them the win.

Werder Bremen 0-2 Hamburger SV (42' v.d. Vaart (pen), 87' v.d. Vaart)

Hamburg is baaaaack!

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Werder Bremen have had a further set back in their bid to take Bundesliga title. Following a 0:2 (0:1) defeat by Hamburg SV, the Green-Whites slip to third place in the table, with a seven point distance between themselves and league leaders Schalke 04, who yesterday drew 2:2 with VfL Wolfsburg.

Trainer Thomas Schaaf made two changes to the side which started in Wednesday’s 3:0 win over Ajax Amsterdam in the UEFA-Cup. For the suspended Pierre Womé and German Under 21 Aaron Hunt, Christian Schulz and Swedish striker Markus Rosenberg took up places in the starting eleven.

Miroslav Klose fired the first warning shot of the day after just two minutes. The German national striker skipped past Bastian Reinhardt in the box and hit a left footed shot towards goal. The striker failed to make a clean connection and HSV keeper Frank Rost had no problem gathering the ball.

Werder dominant but not penetrative

Both sides began courageous and determinedly but an array of misplaced passes and niggly fouls continued to disrupt the flow of the game. Werder had the majority of the play and possession but had great difficulty creating anything solid in front of goal against a willing and aggressive HSV side.

The Green-Whites defence had little trouble dealing with the sporadic attacks from the Hamburg club. It wasn’t until a half hour into proceedings that the visitors launched a serious attack on goal. Atouba broke down the left flank and crossed to Rafael van der Vaart whose effort was charged down and turned away for a corner by Naldo.

Werder were still lacking in penetration. Clemens Fritz put a ball directly onto Miroslav Klose’s head from the right, but the striker appeared shocked to receive the ball and couldn’t convert (37’). Two minutes later, the best chance of the game so far fell to the home side as Hamburg failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to Diego twelve yards from goal but the wiry Brazilian’s shot spun well off target.

Van der Vaart on the spot

From out of nothing, in the 41st minute a shock for the hosts. Penalty for HSV. Daniel Jensen slid in just inside the box in an attempt to clear the ball from the feet of David Jarolim but caught the foot of the speedy winger and brought him down. HSV captain stepped up to take the spot kick and placed the ball comfortably into the bottom right corner – 0:1.

The half time statistics showed Werder as having had only four attempts on goal in the first period, their poorest yield so far this season. Thomas Schaaf decided it was time to react and brought Aaron Hunt for Jurica Vranjes to add an extra man to the attack. Werder turned up the pressure on the visitors and for fifteen minutes forced Hamburg well back in their own half.

All smoke, no fire

For all their efforts, Bremen could produce no more that one shot on goal, and effort on the turn from Diego, which subsequently amounted to nothing. The hosts attempts to force the issue going forward seemed half-hearted and unimaginative. There was no way through the centre against a very compact Hamburg side. Out on the flanks their was too few options with Christian Schulz, as well as Clemens Fritz, lacking in precision and assertiveness. On the hour, Thomas Schaaf decided to replace the determined but ineffective Markus Rosenberg with Hugo Almeida to add an extra dimension to the Werder attack.

The personnel change had little effect on the proceedings on the pitch with only two openings for Werder, firstly as Reinhardt almost directed a Frings free-kick into his own goal and then through a Klose header, also from a Frings fee-kick, which flew just wide of the left post (66’). Otherwise the home side looked rather harmless.
Werder’s system of powerfully forcing Hamburg back into their own half became more and more of a struggle as the game wore on and the visitors were able to find more room in which to hit on the break as in the 71st minutes as van der Vaart came close with an amazing turn of skill, and again three minutes later as Sorin’s goal was deemed offside – a questionable decision.

Dubious debut for Niemeyer

It began to look like a mere question of time before the visitors got a second with Werder’s attempts to avoid a third Bundeliga defeat on the trot looking less and less likely. Thomas Schaaf replaced Clemens Fritz with Peter Niemeyer in the 76th minute to give the young defender his first taste of Bundesliga football. And it was a bitter taste for the youngster who will wish to soon forget his first game in the German top flight. A long clearance from Nigel de Jong was aimed towards van der Vaart, who all to easily muscled Niemeyer off the ball, and the Dutch playmaker powered towards goal, past the desperate challenge of Per Mertesacker to slide the ball past Wiese and make the final score 0:2 (87’).

A bitter defeat for Werder who saw Stuttgart overtake them on Friday night and move into second place and now missed the chance to regain the Champions League direct qualification spot. It the battle for the league title the Green-Whites slipped a further point adrift of leaders Schalke and now have a seven point game of catch-up to play.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Schocking result

We should replace the Bremen forum for Hamburg forum

[Oliver_Kahn]

Great to see. HSV are a fantastic team, we need them in the bundesliga

[Oliver_Kahn]

Hamburger SV will have to miss two players for two to three weeks.


Nigel de Jong tore a muscle in his right leg during practise on Sunday (February 18).

During their 2-0-win against Werder Bremen on Saturday, Collin Benjamin suffered the same injury, except to his left leg.

An MRI on Monday evening confirmed the injuries.

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Alright, they'll find replacements for them.
As long as they have van der Vaart, it's all good for them.
Cuz he's the player they can't replace.
You can see, he got after a 5 match suspension only two weeks ago, and Hamburg won both 2 games.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Yeah, with Van der Vaart there, HSV are a completely different team.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Hamburg SV 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (7' van der Vaart, 77' Trochowski, 90' Olic / 59' Takahara)

HSV going strong now, 3 consecutive wins.
Stevens doing a good job

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3rd consecutive win, can't be better.. I'