Hamburg headed into Friday's Bundesliga encounter against Fortuna Dusseldorf away from home looking to enhance their chances of finishing in the top four this season.
However, it was the home side who bagged all three points to help themselves in their fight against relegation, thanks to a deflected effort from Robbie Kruse in first-half injury time and Stefan Reisinger's strike on 64 minutes.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sport Mole’s live coverage of the Bundesliga game between Fortuna Dusseldorf and Hamburg. It promises to be an exciting game and you can follow it live with our minute-by-minute text commentary on this page.
Heading into tonight’s clash at the Esprit arena, visitors Hamburg find themselves ninth in the league standings with 17 points from 12 matches, just five points off the final Champions League spot.
On the other hand, Dusseldorf are struggling in third from bottom with just 11 points.
The two teams’ lineups coming up now...
Fortuna Dusseldorf Starting Lineup: Giefer, Juanan, Langeneke, Leveis, Van den Bergh, Bellinghausen, Bodzek, Lambertz, Garbuschewski, Rafael, Kruse
Hamburg Starting Lineup: Adler, Diekmeier, Mancienne, Westermann, Aogo, Arsian, Beister, Son, Berg, Van der Vaart
Kickoff is less than 15 minutes away, so stay on this page for all the action live.
The players are getting ready to get onto the pitch now, as we are approaching kickoff.
It’s just three minutes to kickoff and the players are set to walk down the tunnel and onto the pitch.
And here we start with the match...
It has been a bright start to the game here, with both sides looking very enthusiastic.
CHANCE! Axel Bellinghausen runs down the left flank and floats in a cross that Robbie Kruse just fails to get a touch on. That was a great chance for Dusseldorf to pull ahead tonight.
Heung-Min Son tries to cut through a pass, but it is intercepted at the right time by the home side.
Ten minutes gone in this match, and it is goalless between Fortuna Dusseldorf and Hamburg. It has been a very lively and bright start, I must say.
Dusseldorf on the attack now, as Ronny Garbuschewski sends in a cross from the right. Nando Rafael takes a shot on goal, but it is blocked.
Oh, another chance for the home side there! Juanan heads Garbuschewski's delivery just wide. Dusseldorf have asserted themselves on Hamburg for the moment.
Fifteen minutes gone in this match and it remains goalless between the two teams. Dusseldorf are calling all the shots at the moment, but Hamburg are not making it that easy for the home side.
Good play there again from Kruse down the right and the ball eventually falls to Andreas Lambertz outside the area. However, the Dusseldorf midfielder's shot is wide.
I have not seen much of Rafael van der Vaart so much in this match, I must say.
Good attack from Hamburg there. Dennis Aogo floats in a lovely cross from the left that Milan Badelj nods towards goal, but Fabian Giefer makes a good save. It seems that Van der Vaart actually fouled the Dussedorf goalkeeper.
The crowd is in loud voice at the stadium, as they are enjoying end-to-end action.
Twenty five minutes gone in this match, and it is goalless between the two teams. It has been quite exciting at the Esprit Arena.
Hamburg are being patient here in forging an attacking move. The ball is eventually spread wide to the left to Aogo, whose cross is cleared away.
Hamburg earn a corner from that lingering move, as a cross from the right is turned away behind the Dusseldorf goal. However, the visitors can create nothing productive from the corner.
Van der Vaart is down now injured after a challenge from Adam Bodzek. He seems to be hurt and wants the Hamburg medical team to come and treat him.
I have seen the replay of that foul a couple of times now, and to me it seems that Van der Vaart was playacting there. He was already going down before Bodzek put in his challenge.
Or maybe not. Van der Vaart is actually substituted and on comes Tomas Rincon. So Van der Vaart must have pulled something there.
Andreas Lambertz is injured at the moment. There's blood on his face, but he will be fine and should be able to resume playing after a quick medical treatment.
Ten minutes to half-time. Will we see a goal between now and the half-time whistle?
The crowd has been in full voice all throughout this match tonight. Brilliant!
Jens Langeneke makes a brilliant challenge there as he clears the ball from inside his area, but he seems to have injured himself anc could be substituted.
GOAL! Oh, no, it has been ruled out! Dennis Aogo floats in a brilliant free kick from the right that is headed towards the Dusseldorf goal. Fabian Giefer makes a good save, but the ball falls to Mancienne, who slots home from just two yards out. However, it is ruled out for offside.
SUBSTITUTION The home side are forced to make their first change of the game. Leon-Aderemi Balogun comes on for Jens Langeneke.
SO CLOSE! Maximilian Beister queezes a shot from the edge of the Dusseldorf penalty area, but it is well saved by Giefer.
Three minutes of injury time have been added here.
GOAL ROBBIE KRUSE SCORES! Fortuna Dusseldorf have the lead!
Brilliant there from the home side. They surge ahead down the middle and then Andreas Lambertz slips a pass to Robbie Kruse, whose shot on goal is deflected by Michael Mancienne past Rene Adler.
And there the referee blows the half-time whistle. Fortuna Dusseldorf lead Hamburg 1-0 at home, thanks to Robbie Kruse's deflected effort on the stroke of half-time.
It was an entertaining and engaging first 45 minutes, and a hard-fought one as well. Both sides had chances to surge ahead, and Dusseldorf eventually did.
Stay on this page for all the second-half action live with Sports Mole.
Second-half kickoff is just a matter of minutes away.
And the second half starts...
Ronny Garbuschewski! What a chance! Kruse passes the ball to his teammate, who finds himself in a great position and shoots on goal, but Rene Adler makes a good save.
Dusseldorf were so close to making it 2-0 just moments back.
Michael Mancienne is shown the yellow card now.
BERG! Hamburg come so so close to restoring parity! Marcus Berg is released on goal, but he fails to keep his cool and a largely meek effort it turned away for a corner by Giefer.
Another Hamburg player is shown the yellow card. Maximilian Beister is cautioned for pulling Adam Bodzek's shirt.
Free kick given to the visitors, as Leon Balogun commits a foul on Maximilian Beister.
The free kick is on the edge of the Dusseldorf area... It is taken short as Heiko Westermann is teed up! He shoots and it goes in!! GOAL! No, it has been ruled out again, as the referee spots an infringement. Another Hamburg goal ruled out tonight.
Westermann's fierce shot on goal was actually deflected in by Robbie Kruse, but it has been ruled out by the referee.
What a start to the second half it has been! Absolutely sensational stuff!
SUBSTITUTION Stefan Reisinger comes on for Ronny Garbuschewski, as Dusseldorf make their second change of the game.
Great move from Hamburg, as Beister gallops down the left and whips in a cross that Berg just fails to connect to.
Beister! This time he shoots at goal, but Fabian Giefer makes a good save.
GOAL Stefan Reisinger scores and makes it 2-0 to Fortuna Dusseldorf! What a brilliant goal that is! He skips past two defenders as he invades the Hamburg penalty area and then slots past Rene Adler. One of the goals of the season in the Bundesliga!
Another chance there for the home side, as a cross is floated in from the left but Nando Rafael fails to direct it towards goal. The crowd are enjoying themselves very much!
Twenty minutes of normal time remain in Dusseldorf. Is the game already over, with the home side leading 2-0?
Beister! He takes a ferocious shot on goal with his left foot from outside the area that is just about turned away for a corner by Dusseldorf goalkeeper Giefer.
Hamburg earn two successive corners but fail to create anything productive from them.
Beister again shoots, but this time he fails to his attempt on target.
SUBSTITUTION Hamburg make their second chance of the evening. Artjoms Rudņevs comes on for Milan Badelj.
Fifteen minutes of normal time remain, as Hamburg are coming at Fortuna Dusseldorf in full throttle. But HSV are 2-0 behind and it is going to be very, very hard for them to take a point back home from this match.
Ten minutes left now in Dusseldorf, as the home side continue to lead 2-0. However, they are firmly on the backfoot as HSV are attacking in droves.
Free kick down the right touchline for HSV... Dennis Aogo takes it and floats the ball, but Giefer takes a comfortable catch.
Andreas Lambertz is now shown the yellow card.
HSV have another chance to halve the deficit, this time Artjoms Rudnevs shooting wide.
SUBSTITUTION Ken Ilso comes on for Robbie Kruse.
SUBSTITUTION Robert Tesche replaces Tolgay Ali Arslan.
This time the home side launch an attack, as Ilso releases down the left, but his shot goes wide.
Just a minute of normal time remain now. It is 2-0 to the home side.
Three minutes of injury time have been added now.
Oh, the home side were set to launch a counterattack but a miss-pass in the midfield sees HSV regain possession of the ball.
And it's all over at the Esprit Arena, as Fortuna Dusseldorf have defeated Hamburg 2-0. Robbie Kruse gave the home side the lead in the first-half injury time with a deflected effort, and then on 64 minutes Stefan Reisinger scored a brilliant goal to wrap up the points.
Hamburg had their chances tonight and also had two goals ruled out, but they cannot complain that Dusseldorf deserved to win this contest.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of the match this evening. Have a good night. It's goodbye from me for now.
Written by
Subhankar Mondal
Subhankar Mondal
