Hamburg's underdogs refuse to give up against Borussia Dortmund
Hamburg showed heart and grit as they battled to a point against Borussia Dortmund, who were pushed forward in search of the win by Carney Chukwuemeka.
As a newly-promoted outfit, Hamburg were underdogs against Dortmund, and they approached the game with that seemingly in mind. Merlin Polzin's men were compact and disciplined, but also knew exactly what they wanted to do when an opportunity to counter fell their way.
The late equaliser was less a stroke of luck and more the result of a strong performance from a side who are slowly perfecting their tactical approach and are no longer panicking when under pressure.
Watch: Hamburg 1-1 Borussia Dortmund - highlights
Their impressive work-rate and understanding to look for simple attacking solutions were crucial to the result. "The boys showed a lot of energy today," Polzin said after the match in praise of his team. Such displays will make Hamburg a tough nut to crack for the division's best sides, while also boosting their confidence as they look to stay in the top flight.
HSV also won two thirds of the aerial duels against Dortmund (61.5 percent) and therefore effectively eliminated the possibility of being hurt by Serhou Guirassy and Co. from crosses. They also had the slight edge in terms of duels won on the whole.
This performance also showed that Polzin's squad possesses players who have the ability to take individual responsibility and make the right decisions when up against it. And, in general, Hamburg didn't wait for fate to give them a helping hand, but rather aimed to be proactive in their quest for a positive outcome.
Jordan Torunarigha was a rock at the back, winning more duels (61 percent) than anyone else on the pitch. Meanwhile, Nicolás Capaldo made 22 sprints from his midfield position, a perfect example of the energy Polzin alluded to. It is vital that promoted teams hold their nerve in crux phases of matches, and Hamburg did exactly that.
"It is an incredibly feeling to equalise so late into the game. It was a really difficult game, but we stood firm against everything Dortmund had to throw at us," said Miro Muheim after the game.
On paper, Dortmund were expected to win. However, they were too often passive in their attacking approach. They spent long parts of the match circulating possession without incision, and were not precise enough in the final third. While keeping the ball in such a manner is a safe way to play, it can make it challenging to move through the gears when required, especially against a tenacious team like Hamburg.
One shining light for the Black-Yellows was Chukwuekema, who is becoming more and more prominent in Dortmund's attacking play. He is regularly looking to drive forward with the ball, which saw him involved in plenty of his team's shots at goal in some form.
During the 57 times he had the ball at his feet, he fired off four shots, one of which gave Dortmund the lead, while his 79 percent pass completion rate is a solid return for a forward-minded player looking to make the difference.
His constant threat gives Dortmund more unpredictability. Against teams who look to sit in a low block, players like Chukwuemeka can open the game up - provided he has help from those around him.
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