The most unlikely goal of the season

After a difficult few weeks, Hamburg are celebrating a crucial home win in a turbulent match. HSV benefited from two long-range shots and a miserable evening for one of Gladbach’s players.

Fantastic goals to ease relegation fears: Hamburg SV have kept Bundesliga bottom side Borussia Mönchengladbach at bay, thanks in part to Miro Muheim’s magical left foot. In an intense floodlit clash between two traditional clubs that have been struggling of late, HSV won 3–1 (1–1) and took a huge step away from the bottom of the table.

Early on in the match, Muheim scored from outside the box for the third time this season (11th minute). This time, he beat Gladbach goalkeeper Daniel Batz with a low shot from 30.44 metres. The ball travelled at 129.43 km/h.

According to Sky, the expected goals (xG) value for the goal was 1.9 per cent – the lowest of any goal in the current Bundesliga season. After the break, home-grown talent Shafiq Nandja (60th minute) added to the tally with his first Bundesliga goal, followed by Albert Grönbaek (70th minute) with another fine goal for HSV.

Muheim? “A really strong asset for us”

“The coaches and the players advise me or tell me to shoot when I have a free foot, and I know I’ve got a really good left foot, so that’s why I try my luck from distance. Sure, I’m on a run at the moment and somehow every shot’s going in,” Muheim told Sky. Manager Merlin Polzin described his protégé as “a real asset for us”.

Joe Scally (44’) had scored for Borussia in the meantime, but they weakened themselves with a second yellow card for Ko Itakura (49’). “Ko knows that himself,” explained a visibly annoyed sporting director Rouven Schröder on Sky. “At the end of the day, he’s captain of the Japanese national team and he knows exactly how he needs to approach the challenge; he’d already been booked. That was very much on everyone’s minds, including the referee’s. He needs to approach it differently.”

The 17-year-old DFB newcomer Wael Mohya and his team were therefore unable to climb out of the bottom of the table, despite a good first half.

DFB newcomer in the starting line-up

HSV manager Merlin Polzin had been hoping for a trio of returning players during a period of squad shortages, but only defensive stalwart Sebastiaan Bornauw made it into the starting line-up, whilst Yussuf Poulsen initially took his place on the bench. At the other end, Alexander Blessin once again relied on his star youngster: Mohya, who – following his surprise squad call-up earlier this month – could go on to become the third-youngest debutant in the DFB squad, stormed down the left flank.

The opening stages, however, belonged to the home side. Following a blunder by Scally, Patson Daka, with a clear run on goal, was initially denied by Borussia keeper Daniel Batz (8’), but shortly afterwards a carnival atmosphere took hold of the packed Volkspark – thanks to Muheim.

The entertaining match bore little resemblance to a relegation battle in the first half. Martin Adeline, however, failed to capitalise on a fine move by HSV to make it 2–0 (14th minute). Gladbach also played lively football going forward, always right in the thick of it: the lively Mohya, whose DFB call-up had, by his own account, moved his parents to tears.

Grönbaek delivered the next stunner

Both teams had further good chances. However, the second goal didn’t come until just before half-time. It was the visitors who were celebrating after Scally’s seemingly unremarkable shot, which Robin Hack probably deflected slightly.

But the second half began with a shock for Borussia: Itakura, who had acted unwisely, was sent off after a foul on David Möller Wolfe. After three consecutive competitive defeats, a huge opportunity suddenly presented itself to HSV. Nandja quickly exploited the new space and smashed the ball over Batz’s shoulder into the net. It was the first goal for the 19-year-old home-grown player. “Grönbaek made it even better shortly afterwards, scoring from distance into the top corner.