HSV celebrates Bundesliga comeback: draw against Gladbach!

HSV celebrates Bundesliga comeback: draw against Gladbach!

Hamburger SV has successfully celebrated its comeback in the Bundesliga after 2,660 days: in the opening game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on August 24, 2025, the game ended in a 0-0 draw. Despite the many challenges, HSV showed a solid performance and was able to take home a point.

In the first half of the game both teams were initially evenly matched. Borussia Mönchengladbach had more possession of the ball and dominated the action, but HSV was well organized defensively and waited for counterattack opportunities. The first notable chance arose in the 28th minute when Franck Honorat was unable to beat HSV goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes. Shortly before the half-time whistle, Haris Tabakovic missed an opportunity to score the first goal of the season after a cross from Robin Hack.

The second half and missed opportunities

In the course of the second half, HSV changed its style of play and was mostly defensive. Mönchengladbach increased the pressure, but HSV initially remained weak offensively. In the 65th minute it was Heuer Fernandes who made a decisive save against a low shot from Rocco Reitz. At the other end, a deflected shot from Alexander Rössing-Lelesiit in the 68th minute created another opportunity.

But HSV's highlights only came with the substitutions of Yussuf Poulsen and Jean-Luc Dompé in the 74th minute. These changes brought a breath of fresh air to the offensive. In the 89th minute, a header by William Mikelbrencis from a cross from Poulsen was disallowed for offside, making the tie quite exciting in the final minutes of the game.

Criticism and outlook

After the game, Gladbach's captain Rocco Reitz was critical of the exploitation of opportunities, which was not enough for the fourth-place team last season. HSV coach Merlin Polzin, on the other hand, was satisfied with the point win, praised his team's defensive stability and was proud of their return to the Bundesliga.

The coming challenges are already ahead: Borussia Mönchengladbach will face VfB Stuttgart next Saturday, while Hamburger SV will face FC St. Pauli on Friday. Both teams hope to secure the first three points of the new season.

The start of the new Bundesliga season is promising for the fans, even if the first game for HSV only ended in a draw. The solid performance gives hope for further progress as the table and match tactics develop in the coming weeks.

For detailed information and statistics on Bundesliga games, visit bundesliga-statistics.de. In addition, sportschau.de continues to report on the most exciting moments of the game and the reactions of the players. For a detailed game analysis, take a look at laola1.at.