41.
9:26 p.m
The footballing quality of this actually high-class top game is increasingly decreasing. After the winter break, both teams are still lacking some automatisms. The game is very disjointed, overall there are a lot of bad passes on both sides.
38.
9:24 p.m
Karabec takes on the matter as a left-footer, but fails because of the tall Cologne Wall.
37.
9:23 p.m
The aforementioned Pherai takes a long walk through the midfield with the ball at his feet and is ultimately brought down by Heintz just before the penalty area. Free kick for HSV.
35.
9:22 p.m
Pherai and Gazibegović have already received yellow warnings, but are still not afraid of a duel. Both players have now counted three fouls each and therefore have to be careful. The game has calmed down a bit.
32.
9:18 p.m
Downs shields the ball wonderfully with his back to the goal and passes to Paçarada, whose attempted cross ends in a corner. After Hamburg’s pressure phase, this is like a kind of relief, even though the short corner does not pose any danger.
29.
9:16 p.m
Once again the Rothosen have an excellent free-kick position. Pherai places the ball on the left side of the box, but cannot find a team-mate with his resting ball.
26.
9:15 p.m
In this phase of the game, the momentum is clearly on the side of the team with the diamond. Dompé starts dribbling on the left, but misses Selke on the second post with his sharp cross towards the goal.
24.
9:13 p.m
The Hamburg sports club is getting closer to the first goal. Jatta goes down the line on the right, but only finds Schwäbe’s arms with his cross. Then it’s Mikelbrencis again from the right, whose sharp cross sails past friend and foe in front of the box.
22.
9:10 p.m
The subsequent free kick poses no danger because Martel is offside when he hits the back post.
21.
9:09 p.m
Two yellow cards, fairly distributed, are already on the scoreboard. The game is becoming increasingly aggressive. Dingert initially lets Cologne’s first hard duel in midfield run, then the referee blows his whistle after Hadžikadunić’s entry, which felt less hard.
18.
9:06 p.m
The Billy Goats are getting better and better at pressing and are running high up against Hamburg, which means they can significantly disrupt the Rothosen’s build-up game. The game becomes increasingly neutral. Downs is sent low on the right side, but is offside.
15.
9:01 p.m
The initial phase belongs to the Hamburg sports club. Overall, the Hanseatic team are more lively, are very strong, get the second balls and ultimately combine again and again towards the guests’ penalty area. In this situation, Selke is released on the right, but his shot from a tight angle fails because of Hübers’ leg.
13.
8:59 p.m

Yellow card for Immanuël Pherai (Hamburger SV)
Heintz gets to the ball first on a tackle and then gets the studs from Pherai. The yellow card was the result, even if it was unfortunate in its origins.
12.
20:58
Dompé slams the stationary ball onto the upper body of a teammate who is also offside. From the guests’ point of view, the first critical situation was overcome.
11.
20:56
Free kick for the hosts from a very promising position after a foul by Hübers on Meffert in the aerial duel. A good 20 meters away from the goal, central position.
9.
20:54
We have a football game. The clouds of smoke have almost completely cleared away, the ball is rolling, the atmosphere in the stands is fantastic. Everything is prepared for a big football evening in league two. There’s not much going on on both sides up to this point on the pitch alone. Meanwhile, Hamburg is trying to gain possession of the ball.
6.
20:52

Yellow card for Jusuf Gazibegović (1. FC Köln)
Not a tailor-made debut for the new addition. The Bosnian picked up a yellow card in his first action for the new club because he prevented a possible counterattack from the corner.
6.
20:52
Let’s move on! Much ado about nothing, Paçarada’s corner kick is cleared at the near post.
6.
20:51
To brave the cold in the far north, the players have fun with short ball relays outside of the official competition.
4.
8:49 p.m
The execution of a corner kick for the guests was delayed because there was a lot of smoke wafting through the wide area of the Volksparkstadion. The local Tifosi are obviously in a good mood. Paçarada and Maina are also joking when taking the corner. The interruption has already lasted almost two minutes.
2.
8:47 p.m
While the Rothosen wear a classic combination, the guests from Cologne play in light blue jerseys.
1.
8:46 p.m
Let’s go! Referee Christian Dingert releases the playing equipment.
1.
8:45 p.m
Game start
8:40 p.m
Due to increased traffic, kick-off is scheduled for 8:45 p.m., as already announced. It’s starting at any moment, the teams are ready in the catacombs of the Volksparkstadion.
20:21
Let’s look forward to a real traditional duel between two big names in German football. With a lot of excitement, top-class squads and an electric atmosphere in the Volksparkstadion, everything is in place for a thrilling start to the second half of the season.
20:21
Cologne’s head coach Gerhard Struber is changing to three positions at the start of the second half of the season after the 1-0 away win at Kaiserslautern. Heintz moves into the three-man chain on the left, while Paçarada moves up a position and plays on the left rail instead of Finkgräfe. Gazibegović is his counterpart on the right, but Thielmann remains on the bench for the time being. Waldschmidt moves into the right half position for Kainz behind the only tip of a 3-4-2-1 formation.
8:15 p.m
Compared to the crowning 5-0 first half of the season against Greuther Fürth, new head coach Merlin Polzin only made two changes. Elfadli starts in central defense for the recently injured Schonlau. The regular captain at least takes a seat on the bench. Jatta starts on the right wing for Sahiti in a 4-3-3 formation.
8:08 p.m
HSV won the first leg of the season opener 2-1 in Cologne. So the billy goats still have a score to settle and the chance to move further away at the top of the table with a win. The starting position is very even, a clear favorite cannot be identified.
8:08 p.m
On the other hand, Cologne coach Gerhard Struber has to do without Christensen, Kilian, Olesen, Pauli and Uth. After defensively mixed test games against Lugano (3:3) and Viktoria Köln (4:3), he is demanding more stability from his team. At the same time, he warns about the hosts’ strong offensive: “HSV is at the top of the league in terms of squad, but if we show our strengths, it won’t be easy for them either.”
19:58
Polzin, who as a former HSV fan is now the head coach, is combative: “It will never be normal for me to wear the diamond, but it’s no longer about being a fan – I have a mission.” The personnel situation at HSV also gives reason for hope: important pillars such as Selke, Königsdörffer, Schonlau and goalkeeper Fernandes are returning. However, Katterbach, Glatzel, Raab and Reis are still missing due to injuries.
7:48 p.m
Both teams go into the duel with different omens. The Cologne team has been unbeaten in all competitions since the end of October and is showing impressive consistency. Only a draw against Hannover 96 clouds the latest balance. The Hamburg team, on the other hand, got back on track after a mixed phase in the fall. Under new coach Merlin Polzin, HSV won two wins and two draws in December before ending the winter break with a friendly defeat against FCSB Bucharest (1:2).
7:40 p.m
The kick-off of today’s game will be postponed to 8:45 p.m. due to the high volume of traffic around the Volksparkstadion!
7:39 p.m
The game is not only a highlight because of the long tradition of the two clubs, but is also of enormous importance in terms of the table. The guests from Cologne lead the table with 31 points, HSV lurks in fifth place with 28 points. But the league is closer than ever before: there are just six points between first and tenth place. With a home win, the Hanseatic League could overtake the Rhinelanders and create a brilliant starting position for the second half of the season.
7:18 p.m
Hello, hello and welcome! The 2nd Bundesliga starts the second half of the season with an absolutely top game. In the Volksparkstadion, Hamburger SV meets 1. FC Köln – a duel between two founding members of the Bundesliga, both of whom have their sights firmly set on promotion. Kick-off is at 8:30 p.m.