Hamburg SV

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VfB Stuttgart were completely outplayed by Hamburger SV and finished the match with ten men. Ivica Olic bagged a hat-trick for the "Red shorts".

Olic scored three first-half goals in Hamburger SV's 4-1 (3-0) home win and condemned VfB to their third straight defeat (7, 22, 34).

Pardo sent off

The champions are still waiting for their first point away from home and drop further down in the standings.

Additionally VfB captain Pavel Pardo was sent off for kicking out at David Jarolim moments before half-time.

2,500th Bundesliga goal

Joris Mathijsen added a fourth for HSV on the hour mark, the club's 2,500th goal in the Bundesliga.

Serdar Tasci scored a consolation goal for VfB 17 minutes from time.

Too many injured players

HSV were off to a flying start ahead of 57,000 fans when Olic converted Mohamed Zidan's assist after seven minutes.

The hosts didn't seem to miss their injured skipper Rafael van der Vaart too much, but VfB clearly couldn't cope with seven injured or suspended regulars.

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Well done to HSV, big win.

Olic with a hat-trick, must have been his day.

They seem like the HSV of 2 years ago.

Very strong, very good.

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Hamburg will also be going into their UEFA Cup clash with SK Brann full of confidence after they hammered Bundesliga champions Stuttgart 4-1 at the weekend.

However, Huub Stevens' side will be without influential Dutch playmaker Rafael van der Vaart who is sidelined after tearing his left thigh muscle while on international duty.

Dutch team-mate Nigel de Jong will also miss out after damaging his groin in training with the national team, while Peruvian striker Jose Paolo Guerrero is out after tearing his right thigh muscle.

Meanwhile SK Brann head coach Mons Ivar Mjelde insists his side will wait to celebrate their Norwegian title win until after Thursday's match.

Brann clinched the Norwegian Tippeligaen on Monday without even playing a match after a 2-1 loss to Viking ended Stabaek's hopes of catching them.

Despite securing their first title in 44 years, Brann's title celebrations have been put on hold until after their Group D opener on Thursday.

"Winning the title is fantastic. The club, the city and the fans have waited a long time," he told the club's official website.

"However, we can only allow ourselves a small celebration because it is n important match against Hamburg on Thursday."

SportingLife

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Hamburger SV have had a hard time reaching the group stage of the UEFA Cup, and the hunger for more is even bigger.

HSV have already the Intertoto Cup, the qualifying round and the first round in their legs when they travel to newly-crowned Norwegian champions Brann Bergen today (19:00).

"We will be difficult to beat"

The "Red shorts" have bagged four wins and two draws against Dacia Chisinau, Honved Budapest and Litex Lovech, and they want to build on that. "We will be difficult to beat", defender Joris Mathijsen said.

Bergen and the other opponents Stade Rennes, Dinamo Zagreb and FC Basle shall be only passers-by on Hamburg's way to the knock-out stages. "If you want to make the really big games, you have to win in Bergen", Mathijsen demanded.

But Brann have just wrapped up their first Norwegian title in 44 years and shouldn't be underestimated. "Maybe they will be fired up after winning the title, or maybe they are still drunk", Mathijsen smiled.

Four ruled out

HSV coach Huub Stevens expects the former. "They want to take their euphoria into Europe. If we underestimate them, we'll get problems", the Dutchman warned.

Stevens has to make do without four key players: captain Rafael van der Vaart, Romeo Castelen, Paolo Guerrero and Nigel de Jong are sidelined with muscle injuries.

"Hamburg are the strongest team"

Bergen coach Ivar Mjelde knows that Hamburg are unbeaten in seven consecutive matches. "Hamburg are the strongest team in our group. We only have a chance if we have a good day and they falter."

Mjelde has to make do without captain Martin Andresen (knee) and Scottish striker Robbie Winters (15 goals in 28 matches). Andresen's replacement Eirik Bakke is doubtful.

Line-ups as expected:

Bergen: Opdal - Guntveit, Sigurdsson, Bjarnason, Corrales - Solli, El Fakiri, Bakke, Moen - Helstadt, Björnsson.

Hamburg: Rost - Boateng, Reinhardt, Mathijsen, Atouba - Demel, Kompany - Trochowski, Jarolim, Zidan - Olic.

Referee: Georgios Kasnaferis (Greece)

[kennethlindheim]

Hamburg won easy 1-0. They was a much better team than Brann. Brann normally puts in better efforts than that, but the tempo was just to high for them. To much celebrations after winning the league, maybe?

Hamburg is clearly the best team in the group, and should qualify without any problems.
I was impressed by Vincent Kompany and Bastian Reinhardt.

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Brann Bergen 0 - 1 Hamburger SV

62' [0 - 1] V. Kompany

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Thanks to a goal by Vincent Kompany, Hamburger SV were victorious over Bergen in the group phase of the UEFA Cups.

The spectacular goal by the Belgian international player (62nd min.) gave Coach Huub Steven's club a well-earned 1-0 (0-0) victory over the title holding Norwegian squad Brann Bergen.

Clearly superior

The 16,000 in attendance at Brann Stadium could easily have seen more scoring from HSV. Hamburg were clearly the stronger team from the start but failed to capitalise on their superiority.

Kompany from 20 meters out

After the half, HSV went on the offensive and in the lead on the back of a much anticipated score. The 21 year-old defensive player overwhelmed Opdal with a shot from 20 meters out, the ball finding the net off the inside of the post.

Line-up:

Bergen: Opdal - Dahl, Sigurdsson, Bjarnason, Hanstveit - Solli, Jaiteh (46th min. Karadas), Bakke (46th min. Huseklepp), El Fakiri, Moen (85. Björnsson) - Helstad

Hamburg: Rost - Boateng, Reinhardt, Mathijsen, Atouba - Demel, Kompany - Trochowski (87th min. Benjamin), Jarolim, Zidan (90th min. Choupo-Moting) - Olic

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Despite dominating the game in Norway against SK Brann, Hamburg were forced to settle for a 1-0 win thanks to a Vincent Kompany strike in the second half.

HSV trainer Huub Stevens was glad of the win on a night he felt his side controlled.

“Brann set up very defensively from the first minute” he explained. Therefore we it was very difficult for us to create lots of goal scoring opportunities.

“At half-time I told my side to stay calm and keep their concentration. The team did that superbly and then had the necessary luck in attack. My compliments to the team, because tonight there could only be one winner.”

Goal scorer Vincent Kompany was also pleased with the win and was just glad to finally be back from a long-term injury.

“I’m delighted with the win here in Bergen. It was an important game for us. We really wanted to collect our first points and in my view we were the better side.

“It’s nice that I got the important goal. I haven’t played many games this season, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to the fans.”

Goal.com - UEFA Cup - Stevens: There Was Only Ever One Winner

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Duisburg 0 - 1 Hamburger SV

37' [0 - 1] V. Kompany

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HSV pick up three valuable points on the road away in Duisburg. The victory means that they occupy second spot and are hot on the trail of FCB.

HSV move up in to second spot with their eighth victory in nine competitive games. MSV`s poor run at home continues. It is their fifth loss in six home games this season.

Kompany with the winner

Vincent Kompany, the Belgian international, was the scorer of the only goal of the game. 30.160 fans witnessed the defender score his first Bundesliga goal after Piotr Trochowski`s free kick had hit the goal frame.

Unchanged side

Coach Huub Stevens picked the same eleven that had beaten Bergen in the UEFA-Cup and VfB Stuttgart in the previous Bundesliga match.

Duisburg decided to start with Ailton on the bench and were also missing captain Ivica Grlic through suspension.

Deserved victory

Hamburg were the better side and deserved the three points. Trochowski was a threat from deadball situations and Mathijsen went close with a header. MSV will rue the fact that Michael Lamey left his shooting boots at home when he should have done better.

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Things are going well for Hamburg at the moment. A 1-0 win over MSV Duisburg has seen them up to second in the league four points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

A first half Vincent Kompany goal was enough to see off Duisburg at the MSV Arena and means that HSV are now unbeaten in their last nine games.

“We are winning our games at the moment and that naturally pleases everyone” trainer Huub Stevens said after the game.

“I have to praise the team because they have dealt with the exertions of the past days so well. We’re on a good run at the moment but will not get complacent.

“There are a lot of games left and a lot can happen. Now we will turn our concentration to Wednesday where we have a difficult game in the Cup. We know it will be difficult, but we want to win” he explained.

Goal scorer Vincent Kompany was understandably pleased to be on the score sheet again. “Perhaps I’ll become a real goal scorer! Seriously though, the win was important for us.

“It wasn’t easy for us, but we made it difficult for ourselves. The important thing is that we got the three points on the board.”

Goal.com - Bundesliga - Stevens Delighted As Hamburg Run Continues

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Rafael van der Vaart is once again on the ball: the start midfielder was back training with HSV on Monday.

The Dutchman was out for the past two weeks owing to a tear in his thigh muscle. The skipper incurred the injury during an international game trip.

"It's great to be back on the pitch with the boys", said van der Vaart. "Rafa" had been working towards his comeback with rehabiltation trainer Markus Günther and the team's medical department.

De Jong and Guerrero on the move

Nigel de Jong is also doing better after tearing his adductor muscle in the national team's training camp. The midfielder is already working out with the ball. But de Jong will not be ready to play in the DFB Cup match against SC Freiburg on Wednesday.

But Rafael van der Vaart hopes he will be ready for the game. And Paolo Guerrero is also likely to play. The Peruvian, who also tore his thigh muscle, has been training like van der Vaart and is getting better. Coach Huub Stevens will make a game-time decision about whether to play Guerrero.

Sorin has knee operation

Juan Pablo Sorin has meanwhile had an operation on his right knee. The Argentinian had a small bit of tissue from behind his kneecap removed.

"We decided to take this step in consultation with the team's medical department and the coach. I hope to get better and to be able to help out the team once again in the second half of the season", said Sorin. The midfielder will be having intensive physical therapy over the coming weeks.

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DFB-Pokal, 2nd Round

Hamburger SV 3 - 1 Freiburg

11' [0 - 1] K. Matmour
17' [1 - 1] P. Trochowski
52' [2 - 1] I. Olic
90' [3 - 1] R.v.d. Vaart (pen.)

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Hamburger SV 2 - 1 Hertha BSC

4' [1 - 0] J.P. Guerrero
59' [1 - 1] P. Ebert
81' [2 - 1] B. Reinhardt