Hamburg and Eintracht Frankfurt share the spoils in a hard-fought draw
Hamburg and Eintracht Frankfurt played out a 1-1 draw at the Volksparkstadion on Matchday 15, with goals from Albert Sambi Lokonga and Hugo Larsson ensuring that neither team walked away empty-handed.
Hamburg 1–1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Goals: 1-0 Lokonga 19‘, 1-1 Larsson 26‘ (assist: Brown)
Hamburg headed into their final match of 2025 looking to extend their impressive home record, having won their previous two Bundesliga games at the Volksparkstadion against VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen.
The hosts were without several key players including Robert Glatzel (muscle injury), Yussuf Poulsen (ankle problems) and Jean-Luc Dompé (achilles). Meanwhile, Frankfurt arrived in Hamburg hoping to bounce back from a disastrous 6-0 defeat at RB Leipzig in their previous away fixture. The Eagles were missing Farès Chaïbi and Ellyes Skhiri due to Africa Cup of Nations commitments, while Arthur Theate was suspended and Mario Götze was sidelined through illness.
First-half goals
After an even opening period with few clear chances, the hosts broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. Nnamdi Collins' misplaced pass on the edge of his own box fell straight to Sambi Lokonga, who fired a precise low shot into the bottom corner from just inside the area. The Eagles responded brilliantly, however, and were level just seven minutes later. A superb diagonal pass from Collins found Nathaniel Brown on the left, whose first-time cross was met by Larsson to finish from close range.
HSV nearly retook the lead immediately when Rayan Philippe crashed a shot against the crossbar, before William Mikelbrencis saw his header cleared off the line.
Stalemate in second half
Frankfurt dominated possession after the interval, but struggled to break down a resilient HSV defence. The visitors' best opportunity came on the hour mark when Ansgar Knauff met a corner with a spectacular scissor-kick that required a brilliant save from Daniel Heuer Fernandes.
The hosts introduced Bakery Jatta and Fábio Vieira from the bench, and thought they had snatched a winner in the 81st minute when Vieira finished coolly past Michael Zetterer after a swift counter. However, celebrations were cut short as VAR confirmed the Portuguese midfielder was offside.
In a frantic finale, Jatta made a crucial goal-line clearance to deny the Eagles, while HSV couldn't capitalise on some late counter-attacking opportunities as both sides settled for a point.
Man of the Match: Albert Sambi Lokonga
Sambi Lokonga delivered an outstanding all-round performance for Hamburg. Beyond his clinical 19th-minute strike that gave the hosts the lead, the Belgian midfielder was central to everything positive about HSV's display. He covered 12 kilometres – the most of any HSV player – while also registering the highest pass efficiency rating among the home side's players. His goal came from a relatively low-probability chance (xG 0.0643), showcasing his finishing quality, and he consistently helped his team transition from defence to attack throughout the match.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Hamburg 0.65 - Frankfurt 1.6
Fastest player: Fabio Baldé (Hamburg), 35.4 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Albert Sambi Lokonga (Hamburg), 6 percent
Most pressed player: Ritsu Dōan (Frankfurt), 21 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Can Uzun (Frankfurt), +2.64
Fantasy Heroes: Albert Sambi Lokonga (Hamburg, 264 Points), Miro Muheim (Hamburg, 263 Points), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt, 262 Points)
Related news
Hamburg on the up!
After a rocky start to the season, things are beginning to click at Hamburg with the Red Shorts' thrashing of Mainz taking their unbeaten run to three games.
Bundesliga "louder than the Premier League"
After scoring on his first start for HSV at the weekend, Albert Sambi Lokonga was blown away by the atmosphere at the Volksparkstadion.
Arsenal signings raising Hamburg expectations
What impact will the arrivals of Fábio Vieira and Albert Sambi Lokonga have on HSV this season?