Hamburger SV and Stuttgart played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Bundesliga in a game that had everything including a red card for Antonio Rudiger.
Stuttgart started brilliantly, with Alexandru Maxim finishing well after a one-two with Vedad Ibisevic but Pierre-Michel Lasogga levelled mid-way through the half.
Christian Gentner nodded the visitors ahead again after the break with MAximilian Beister cancelling it out after the break.
As Hamburg came forward Johan Djourou put through his own net, but his blushes were spared two minutes later through Rafael van der Vaart.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello Bundesliga fans. We have another two games for you today - first up is Hamburg vs. Stuttgart.
Hamburg are currently 15th, but they improved remarkably before the winter break and managed a 5-0 win at Nuremberg in their last game. That was away from home and they still need to sort out their form in front of their own fans. They currently have one win and two defeats at home.
Stuttgart have also improved under their new coach. Bruno Labbadia was fired very early in the season after a summer upheaval and now under Thomas Schneider they have risen into the top half. They have won three of five, with the other two games draws.
Without further ado, let's get to the team news...
HAMBURG XI: Adler; Westermann, Tah, Djourou, Jansen; Zoua, Arslan, Badelj, Calhanoglu, Van der Vaart; Lasogga
STUTTGART XI: Kirschbaum; Sakai, Schwaab, Rudiger, Boka; Kvist, Gentner; Harnik, Maxim, Traore; Ibisevic
Two good lineups for this level - both sides should be higher than they are. Rafael van der Vaart is of course the main man for Hamburg, but Pierre-Michel Lasogga will be looking for a repeat of his seven-minute hat-trick from the last game. They were quite brilliant throughout against Nuremberg.
However, Stuttgart are well balanced. They are strong at the back with Daniel Schwaab and Antonio Rudiger in the middle. They also have a really quick and fluid attacking three in behind Vedad Ibisevic, with Martin Harnik and Ibrahima Traore offering pace and Alexandru Maxim the creativity.
Looking at the odds, the hosts are favourites but not by much. They can be backed at 7/5 while Stuttgart are 11/5. Me? I think it'll be a score draw - let's say 2-2.
The referee is double-checking the nets.... after what happened in the Leverkusen game on Friday!
KICKOFF: The hosts get us underway for what should be a good game.
GOAL! Hamburg 0-1 Stuttgart (Alexandru Maxim)
Some good early possession for the visitors. William Kvist is coming right back from midfield almost into the defence to dictate the early tempo. They've all had a touch in this move, as Maxim cuts in, plays a one-two with Ibisevic to slot past Rene Adler. What a superb flowing move!
Stuttgart are controlling things still, as Harnik looks to get away down the right but Jansen defends well. The hosts break as Arslan looks for Van der Vaart, but the Dutchman was just offside.
This is better from Hamburg, who are finally starting to find teammates with their passing. They win a corner, but it's well cleared by Kvist and out for a throw. Hamburg come again through Zoua down the right - his cross is too long and the chance has gone.
Still Hamburg press but their final ball is lacking. A cross form the left from Calhanoglu is hacked clear. Gentner makes a mistake to hand possession back to the hosts, but Stuttgart get back well and close down the space.
CLOSE: Lots of play now in the middle as Stuttgart seem to have ridden that bit of pressure. Maxim finds Ibisevic, who cuts on to his right from just outside the box and drills his effort narrowly wide of the near post.
SAVE! Brilliant stop from Kirschbaum. Calhanoglu turned in the box and fired it low, but the keeper was down to get a strong arm on it before the flag went up as Van der Vaart came in for the rebound.
CLOSE! Zouha's shot from close range is just blocked at point-blank by Ibisevic! They don't get a corner for it, however, but the striker stopped a certain goal.
GOAL! Hamburg 1-1 Stuttgart (Pierre-Michel Lasogga)
Dreadful, dreadful defending! Kvist gave it away to Calhanoglu and then slipped in the box as the ball was cut back for Lasogga to fire high into the empty net.
Great stuff from Badelj, who wins the ball strongly and looks for Calhanoglu to his left, but Sakai is in well to win it back. However, Stuttgart give it away once more and it's all Hamburg now.
It's become a little scrappy here, with both sides giving away a couple of free kicks. It's an important spell here, the next goal will be very important whoever gets it. At the moment it's most likely to come for the hosts as Calhanoglu is ruled just offside from a through ball.
Arslan and Badelj have been brilliant in the middle so far. Sakai has a chance to cross and for my money that is a brilliant ball right into the danger area, but there's no-one putting himself on the end of it. At the other end there's another offside against Hamburg and VDV, this time it was clear, though.
GOAL! Hamburg 1-2 Stuttgart (Christian Gentner)
At first glance Maxim's free kick from the left went straight in, but there was a touch from Gentner in the box which diverted it beyond Adler's dive. That was the perfect delivery from the Romanian - it might have gone straight in or could have been turned in by a defender too.
Can Hamburg come back again from the new set-back? They have seen all of the possession really, but have only created the one golden chance from which they scored. Stuttgart have played a solid away game thus far.
CHANCE! What a chance for Ibisevic! Traore drives down the left and puts in a wonderful low cross right to Ibisevic. He's under pressure and cannot keep it down; instead the ball flies well over.
MISS! The offside flag saves Ibisevic's blushes there. Boka strikes from range and his effort is parried to the striker who somehow puts it over! On replay he wasn't offside and the assistant will be very relieved that he missed.
HALF TIME: Hamburg 1-2 Stuttgart
What an excellent half of football. We had our first 0-0 of the season yesterday, but these two sides have restored parity with three goals in the opening half. There has been some excellent football and some terrible defending too!
The player of the half has been Maxim for Stuttgart. While his side have not seen a great deal of the ball, he has used it so well which was shown with his excellent goal and brilliant assist.
The midfield battle has been well and truly won by Hamburg's pairing of Arslan and Badelj, but it has proven that the quality of possession and not quantity has been most important so far. Stuttgart for the large part have been very good at the back.
I wouldn't expect any changes at the break as both teams have played well. They've certainly stuck to instructions which for the hosts has been to control possession and the visitors to work space when they get the ball.
HAMBURG SUB: Of course, what do I know? Maximilian Beister comes on for Zoua, who to be fair has been anonymous.
KICKOFF: Stuttgart get us underway for the second half.
A good start to the half from Hamburg, who again have seen a lot of the ball. Van der Vaary is sitting slightly deeper and looking for crosses to Lasogga from deep, but so far Rudiger is equal to it.
So far this half has not lived up to the first. A dreadful clearance from Rudiger goes straight to Beister, but Gentner wins it back and Stuttgart slow it all down. This is what they need, some patient passing.
GOAL! Hamburg 2-2 Stuttgart (Maximilian Beister)
That's a brilliant sub from Van Marwijk, but it's Arslan who deserves credit for his fine through ball down the left to Calhanoglu, who puts it on a plate in the middle for Beister to tap in.
SAVE! What a stop from Kirrchbaum! Van der Vaart thinks he's scored from a corner but the keeper, going the wrong way, somehow keeps it out! From the next corner Badelj's shot is deflected about two inches wide! Hamburg piling it on.
CLOSE! Still Hamburg press and Beister is the next to come close! The ball bobbles about a bit from a cross and he wraps his left foot around it but it's deflected just wide. Beister rallies the crowd who respond with some deafening noise. What a game we have here.
GOAL! Hamburg 2-3 Stuttgart (Vedad Ibisevic)
Well, well, well. What can you say? Against the run of play Stuttgart somehow lead! It's been credited as a Johan Djourou own goal, as Maxim whips in a cross from the left and it's turned in at close range. I thought by Ibisevic, but it's been taken off him.
GOAL! Hamburg 3-3 Stuttgart (Rafael van der Vaart)
This is just brilliant. Calhanoglu finds Beister on the left and he turns it into the path of his captain, who finishes neatly for the equaliser. Frantic stuff with both teams playing at their limit at the moment.
In the middle of that Timo Werner came on for Harnik for the visitors. Hamburg right back on top with constant possession.
Will we have a winner? With still 18 minutes left I'd be surprised if there wasn't another goal. All signs point to a Hamburg win, but Stuttgart keep managing to create chances against the run of play so I'm keeping my mouth shut!
Huge header there from Djourou from a Maxim cross as Stuttgart looked threatening. Hamburg break and win a throw at the other end. Arslan finds Calhanoglu, whose shot is deflected not far wide at all - another corner.
Kirschbaum punches clear well from VDV's latest effort. He's put in better corners this evening. From the throw Westermann crosses deep for Lasogga, but he cannot direct his effort under the bar.
It's really end to end at the moment as Biester looks for Lasogga over the top, but Rudiger reads it really well to intercept. Stuttgart just want to slow the pace down now as Kirschbaum takes his time over a free kick.
BOOKING: That said, they are suddenly looking the strongest team. Maxim drives down the left and is brought down by a poor tackle from Badelj, who is rightly booked.
Hamburg's determination to get the winner is leading to them conceding a number of fouls. The pace has finally slowed down, which was bound to happen considering how frantic this half has been.
RED CARD! Straight red for Rudiger with six minutes left! He poked VDV in the ribs off the ball, with the Dutchman writhing around on the floor. Stupid from Rudiger, but VDV is meant to be a grown man!
STUTTGART SUB: Karim Haggui comes on for Maxim - an attacker for a defender as suddenly Stuttgart have to defend the point.
There will be three minutes of time added on.
FULL TIME: Hamburg 3-3 Stuttgart
Thanks for joining me here - Augsburg vs. Wolfsburg will be up on site in just a few minutes! Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
