Hard fought away win at HSV

On the 33rd match day of the season, 1.FC Köln beat Hamburger SV 1-0 (1-0). In front of a 57,000 strong crowd in Hamburg, Fabrice Ehret scored what was to prove the 'Golden-Goal' on the day (9').

Dream start

Just four days after the 1-2 home defeat to Hertha BSC, FC coach Christoph Daum opted to make two changes to his starting eleven with Wilfried Sanou and Pierre Wome being replaced by Taner Yalcin and Marvin Matip respectively. Just as in the game against Berlin, Thomas Kessler again filled in between the posts for the injured Faryd Mondragon (shoulder problem).

Despite being without their top striker Milivoje Novakovic (groin strain), FC went into the game confidently and were soon rewarded for their enterprise. With just nine minutes played, a long kick-out by Kessler sailed over the heads of friend and foe before falling kindly for Fabrice Ehret, who forced his marker, Colin Benjamin, aside to slot the ball past the HSV keeper and make it 1-0 for the visitors.

The home side looked for an answer as quickly as possible but a solid FC defence proved too great a hurdle for the Hamburg side and the guests from Cologne took their narrow lead into the half time break.

HSV nerves begin to show

There was much of the same after the re-start with Hamburg pushing in search of an equaliser but never really looking convincing against a well drilled FC defence. The home side then had chances to draw level in both the 64th and 68th minutes. Firstly Kessler had to react quickly to hold onto a corner from substitute Piotr Trochowski, which the German international drove goal-wards. Minutes later Trochowski was involved again swinging in a delivery which found Guy Demel, but luckily for FC, the HSV man's header from five meters out went just over the crossbar. Trochowski had one final effort to level the scores in the final minute but his shot from 16 meters out whisked just outside the right post and FC hung on to what was a hard fought but not undeserved 1-0 win.


The team line-ups

Hamburger SV: Rost - Benjamin, Demel (72' Gravgaard), Mathijsen, Atouba (46' Trochowski) - Jarolim, Aogo - Streit (61' Pitroipa), Jansen - Guerrero, Olic

1. FC Köln: Kessler - Brecko, McKenna, Geromel, Matip - Petit (82' Pezzoni), Boateng - Yalcin (84' Brosinski), Vucicevic, Ehret - Ishiaku (72' Chihi)

Goals: 0-1 Ehret (9')

Attendance: 57,000 (sold-out)

Referees: Rafati; Henschel, Bornhorst

Yellow cards: Trochowski/McKenna