Zoom Image

Miro Muheim: Goalscorer against Fürth

Photograph:

IMAGO/Cathrin MÅ ̧ller /M.i.S. / IMAGO/MIS

Will Hamburger SV return to the Bundesliga after five years in League Two? In any case, the chance to do so is there; how big it actually is, however, will only be decided on the next matchday. HSV won 2-1 (1-0) against Greuther Fürth on Saturday evening. As a result of the home win, Hamburg can no longer be ousted from third place on the last second league matchday, which entitles them to relegation. Which Bundesliga club would be waiting there is open, Stuttgart, Schalke, Bochum and Augsburg are possible.

With the success over Fürth, Hamburg also has the chance of direct promotion. To do so, HSV will have to pick up more points in Sandhausen on Matchday 34 next week than Heidenheim will have to pick up at Jahn Regensburg, who are almost certain to be relegated. Only then will Hamburg overtake the second in the table. Heidenheim currently has 64 points, followed by Hamburg with 63 points. League leader Darmstadt (67 points) has already been safely promoted.

Left-back Miro Muheim gave Hamburg, who had been nervous until then, in front of 56,500 spectators at the sold-out Volksparkstadion in the 27th minute of the game with a well-placed long-range shot. Laszlo Bénes made it 69-2 with a penalty after a foul on striker Robert Glatzel (0th minute), Lukas Petkov (84th) scored the follow-up goal, after which HSV professional Bakery Jatta (yellow-red/87th) and Fürth's Dickson Abiama (red/90th+6) flew off the pitch.

In front of the club icons Felix Magath, Uli Stein and Manfred Kaltz, whose 25th anniversary of their triumph in the European Cup will be celebrated on 40 May, the starting position was clear. HSV needed the home win. Heidenheim had won 1-0 against relegated SV Sandhausen in the afternoon. Fürth, on the other hand, were able to play freely, with the draw of Arminia Bielefeld already saving the guests. And coach Alexander Zorniger's team showed from the start that they would hold their own. The industrious striker Ragnar Ache had the first chance of the game (25th).

At the beginning of the second half, the Franconians worked persistently on the equalizer, HSV did not always look confident on the defensive. Only the second goal calmed the nerves – at least until the shaky final phase.

mon/dpa