RB Leipzig is breathing down the necks of its competitors from Hoffenheim and Stuttgart in the fight for the premier class. A magic goal from Romulo helped in Hamburg.
In Leipzig’s well-deserved 2-1 win at Volkpark, Fabio Vieira gave HSV the lead in the 22nd minute. Romulo equalized in the 36th minute, and Yan Diomande added the second goal for the guests five minutes after the break.
HSV initially followed up on its announcements that it wanted to go into this game boldly. Leipzig was already attacked in their own box, Ransford Königsdörffer had the first good finish after just four minutes. While his 20-meter shot missed the target, RB keeper Maarten Vandevoordt had to make a good save against Damion Downs shortly afterwards.
Lukeba’s bad pass leads to the deficit
Leipzig then increased the pressure forward, but did not really get dangerously close to the Hamburg penalty area. The defense also made a mistake: A bad pass from Castello Lukeba led to HSV’s counterattack, William Mikelbrencis started through on the right, made a precise return towards the penalty spot, where Fábio Vieira was able to calmly receive the ball and push it through the legs of Willi Orban and then keeper Vandevoordt into the goal.
RB then tried again and again through Yan Diomande, but Hamburg’s defense was excellent and, apart from two half-chances from Christoph Baumgartner and Brajan Gruda, didn’t allow anything compelling.
Romulo surprises Vuskovic and Heuer Fernandes
Romulo was actually well guarded by Luka Vuskovic after Lukeba’s cross, and the Croatian even pushed the Brazilian away from the goal in the six-yard box. But with a brilliant back-heel trick, Romulo surprised Vuskovic with his back to the goal, as did HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, who was caught completely wrong-footed.
Leipzig’s Romulo (l.) scores artistically with a backheel in the game against Hamburger SV
After that, the Leipzig team gained a clear advantage for the first time, but shortly before the break Heuer Fernandes prevented them from falling behind with a great reflex against Diomande. The same duel took place again five minutes after the restart – this time with the opposite outcome. After Hamburg lost the ball, RB quickly switched gears, Romelu passed the ball on to Diomande, who prevailed against four HSV defenders in a small space and placed the ball in the left corner.
Leipzig awards them Preliminary decision from the point
Instead of pushing for an equalizer, Hamburg retreated far. Leipzig pushed hard for the preliminary decision, while HSV completely withdrew offensively. Romulo missed the first big chance to make a preliminary decision after an hour from the penalty spot: the ball jumped to Nicolai Remberg’s hand after a failed header clearance, but Heuer Fernandes parried the weakly shot penalty.
A quarter of an hour later, Ezekiel Banzuzi should have made it 3-1 after David Raum put the ball right in the backcourt – but the Dutchman’s shot went towards the top.
Poulsen shortly before being sent off
HSV coach Merlin Polzin tried to counteract this and brought in fresh personnel for the attack in Yussuf Poulsen and Jean-Luc Dompé. But there were no more chances to score, and it wasn’t even remotely dangerous for Vandevoort. Poulsen only attracted attention because of a wild foul on his former teammate David Raum, for which he was very lucky to get away with a yellow card – then referee Bastian Dankert gave mercy before justice.
Until deep into stoppage time, the goal-scoring ratio in the second half was 6-0 for Leipzig, and it was only in the final seconds that HSV came close to the penalty area again. Vuskovic chased a free kick well over the goal, then Dompé and Mikelbrencis failed – but the equalizer would have been completely undeserved.
Hamburg in Wolfsburg, Leipzig against Augsburg
Hamburg will be guests at VFL Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m.). Leipzig welcomes FC Augsburg on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m.).
