Dominant Augsburg down Hamburg

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A Halil Altintop double helped Augbsurg claim a stunning victory in the sunshine against Hamburg which momentarily eased the hosts' relegation fears while piling the pressure on the Red Shorts.

Augsburg 4-0 Hamburg

Goals: 1-0 Altintop (28'), 2-0 Altintop (42'), 3-0 Max (76'), 4-0 Bobadilla (85')

Just one point separated the relegation-threatened Augsburg in 16th from rivals Hamburg prior to this scintillating encounter at the WWK ARENA. Their precarious predicament weighing heavily, the hosts quickly displayed immense hunger to atone for a run of four defeats in five games yet found Hamburg’s third-choice goalkeeper, Tom Mickel, in outstanding early form. Following large spells of home dominance, however, the visiting custodian was beaten shortly before the half-hour, Altintop driving in from the edge of the area. The 34-year-old forward then doubled Die Fuggerstädter’s lead before the break, knocking home following good work from Alfred Finnbogason and Philipp Max.

Hamburg won this fixture 3-1 last season yet the visitors showed no sign of turning this one around after the restart as Augsburg continued where they left off. Daniel Baier had the home fans on their feet when he sent a superb strike crashing against an upright but that despair turned to jubilation when Max’s control and brilliant finish brought his first goal in a 50th Bundesliga appearance. The three points now assured, substitute Raul Bobadilla ran clear to add a fourth and give Augsburg their biggest-ever Bundesliga home win.

Man of the Match

Needing a goalscoring outlet to match the team's early desire, Augsburg found one in the veteran Altintop who, in his 112th league appearance for the club, scored the decisive goals that set the hosts on their way to a potentially crucial three points.

Talking point

Things could not be tighter at the bottom of the Bundesliga standings and with just three games to play, Hamburg - the division's only ever-present club - find themselves in the bottom three as a result of this unwanted reverse. For their part, Augsburg will take delight in victory but, now just two points from safety, will know they still have plenty to do to confirm their top-flight status.

Match Stats

    Altintop has now scored seven goals against HSV, his second favourite opponents after Wolfsburg, against whom the attacker has netted eight. Altintop has registered eleven doubles in the Bundesliga, two against Hamburg. The Red Shorts have lost three games in a row for the first time in 2017.

Line-ups:

Augsburg: Hitz - Verhaegh (c), Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Stafylidis - Kohr, Baier - Schmid, Halil Altintop, Max - Finnbogason

Coach: Manuel Baum

HSV: Mickel - Diekmeier, K. Papadopoulos, Mavraj, Ostrzolek - Sakai (c), Walace - Hunt, Holtby, Gregoritsch - Wood

Coach: Markus Gisdol

Head here for the Augsburg-Hamburg Match Centre!