Hamburg secure first German league win

GERMANY Bundesliga

Hamburger SV picked up their first win of the season with Michael Gregoritsch and Matthias Ostrzolek on target in a 2-0 win at SV Darmstadt 98.

Laszlo Kleinheisler sent Darmstadt's first shot over after a tight opening quarter of an hour which had been characterised by combative exchanges.

Michael Gregoritsch squandered Hamburg's first sight of goal five minutes later when he beat the offside trap but shot wide of the far post.

He did better with his next attempt, though, sending in a bullet header at the near post from Filip Kostic's cross to give HSV the half-time lead.

Darmstadt had to come out looking for a goal in the second 45 minutes and this opened things up, albeit giving the guests more opportunities to increase their advantage with Kostic proving a constant threat down the Hamburg left.

Aytac Sulu and Mario Vrancic sent shots off target as Darmstadt searched desperately for an equaliser, but Ostrzolek struck late to double Hamburg's lead and cut their deficit on Darmstadt to a point.

Kostic supplied Gregoritsch's goal with his first assist for Hamburg and his crosses were always dangerous, including one in the second half which very nearly sneaked inside the far post and another which almost forced an own goal.

The only remaining winless record in the Bundesliga has finally ended – after 13 games. There is still plenty of work for Hamburg to do, but this was a crucial taboo-breaking first step in the right direction.

Gisdol named an unchanged side for the third game in a row – the first time HSV have been unchanged in three consecutive games in over four years, when Thorsten Fink was coach.

Gregoritsch scored in consecutive Bundesliga matches for the first time (he scored two on Matchday 12).

Kostic delivered his first assist in 11 Bundesliga appearances for Hamburg.

In yesterday’s second match, Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt were tied at 1-1. Yesterday Darmstadt-Hamburger SV ................ 0-2 FC Augsburg-Eintracht Frankfurt ...... 1-1

Standings

RB Leipzig 13 10 Bayern Munich13 9 Hertha Berlin 13 8 Hoffenheim 13 6 E. Frankfurt 13 7 Dortmund 13 7 1. FC Koln 13 6 Schalke 13 5 B. Leverkusen 13 5 FSV Mainz 05 13 5 SC Freiburg 13 5 FC Augsburg 13 3 B. M’gladbach 13 3 W. Bremen 13 3 Wolfsburg 13 2 Darmstadt 13 2 Hamburger SV 13 1 Ingolstadt 13 1 3 3 3 7 4 3 4 2 2 2 1 5 4 2 4 2 4 3 0 29 11 33 1 29 9 30 2 22 13 27 0 25 14 25 2 19 11 25 3 31 15 24 3 18 12 22 6 18 15 17 6 20 21 17 6 23 25 17 7 17 25 16 5 11 15 14 6 13 22 13 8 17 32 11 7 12 18 10 9 11 26 8 8 10 27 7 9 10 24 6