Hamburg win thrilling Nordderby as Yussuf Poulsen scores late winner against Werder Bremen
Hamburg emerged victorious in the first Bundesliga Nordderby against Werder Bremen in eight years, with Yussuf Poulsen's late winner securing a dramatic 3-2 win in a back-and-forth game.
Hamburg 3-2 BremenGoals: 0-1 Stage 45’ (assist: Schmid), 1-1 Sambi Lokonga 63’, 2-1 Vušković 75’ (assist: Vieira), 2-2 Njinmah 78’ (assist: Schmid), 3-2 Poulsen 84’ (assist: Muheim)
For the first time in almost eight years, the traditional Nordderby between Hamburg and Bremen returned to the Bundesliga. This 109th top-flight meeting between the founding Bundesliga members came with both sides in contrasting form – Hamburg having won dramatically against Stuttgart last time out, while Bremen were held to a late draw by Cologne.
HSV head coach Merlin Polzin made six changes from the team that lost on penalties to Holstein Kiel in the cup, including starts for Bakery Jatta and Aboubaka Soumahoro, while Bremen's Horst Steffen kept faith with the same starting eleven for the third consecutive match.
The opening exchanges were tense as both sides probed cautiously in this revival of one of German football's greatest rivalries.
Bremen created the first real chance in the third minute when Jens Stage fired a shot from distance that missed the target.
Hamburg responded through Jean-Luc Dompé, who cut inside but shot well over.
As the half progressed, Hamburg began to assert their dominance in possession, but it was Bremen who struck first. Just before half-time, Romano Schmid won the ball from Nicolas Capaldo and fed Stage, who curled a precise shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Hamburg came out after the break, determined to find an equaliser. Dompé's dangerous cross found Jatta at the back post, but Mio Backhaus made an excellent save.
The hosts continued to press and were rewarded in the 63rd minute when Albert Sambi Lokonga levelled the score. The Belgian controlled a loose ball in the box before showing great composure to calmly slot home with his left foot.
Hamburg then took the lead in spectacular fashion in the 75th minute when Luka Vušković met Fábio Vieira's free-kick with an audacious backheel flick that found the far corner.
The lead lasted just three minutes, however, as Bremen substitute Justin Njinmah made an immediate impact. After excellent work from Schmid down the right flank, Njinmah controlled the ball in the box before firing past Daniel Heuer Fernandes to make it 2-2.
However, Hamburg weren't finished yet. In the 84th minute, Yussuf Poulsen, who had just replaced Vieira, scored with his first touch of the ball. Miro Muheim provided the cross, and Poulsen finished clinically with his left foot into the bottom corner.
Despite Bremen's desperate attempts to find another equaliser in the six minutes of added time, Hamburg held firm to secure a memorable derby victory.
The win moves Hamburg further clear of the relegation zone and gives them valuable momentum heading into the final matches before the winter break. For Bremen, it was a disappointing end to a match that had seen them take the lead and then fight back to equalise, only to be undone by Poulsen's late intervention.
Man of the Match: Luka Vušković
The 19-year-old defender produced a performance well beyond his years in the intense atmosphere of his first Nordderby. Vušković displayed defensive solidity throughout the match, winning numerous aerial duels and making key interventions.
However, it was his extraordinary attacking contribution that sealed his status as the match's standout player. His backheel finish from Vieira's free-kick to give Hamburg a 2-1 lead showed remarkable technique and confidence.
Despite receiving a yellow card early in the second half for a foul on Schmid, Vušković maintained his composure and continued to perform excellently in both defensive and offensive phases. His all-around display earned him a deserved Man of the Match award with 56% of the votes.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Hamburg 1.53 - Werder Bremen 1.07
Fastest player: Rayan Philippe (Hamburg), 34.19 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-1 by Luka Vušković (Hamburg), 8.79 per cent
Most pressed player: Albert Sambi Lokonga (Hamburg), 19 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Fábio Vieira (Hamburg), +3.59
Fantasy Heroes: Albert Sambi Lokonga (Hamburg, 303 Points), Luka Vušković (Hamburg, 234 Points), Fábio Vieira (Hamburg, 234 Points)
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