3/4/2006
fcbayern.de

Bayern lost their proud 100 percent home record to hard-working Hamburg in a breathtaking finish to an enthralling encounter on Saturday.

Blizzard conditions over Munich for the 48 hours prior to and during the match meant a few empty seats at the Allianz Arena, despite the customary 69,000 advance ticket sales.

Those who braved the arctic weather saw the visitors take a 17th minute lead through Cote d'Ivoire stopper Guy Demel, as HSV adapted with far greater aplomb to the heavy pitch and driving snow.

Bayern were a different proposition in the second half and steadily increased the pressure on the defensive-minded visitors, the reward finally arriving after 83 minutes when sub Mehmet Scholl drilled home the equaliser.

But the northerners were not finished yet, and Dutch centre-half Nigel de Jong headed a dramatic last-minute winner to seal HSV's first victory in Munich for 24 years.-

The result means Hamburg have done the double over the league leaders and remain the only German side to beat Bayern this term.

Injuries deprived Felix Magath of Bixente Lizarazu and Paolo Guererro, while Zé Roberto was granted leave to be present at the imminent birth of his third child.

Philipp Lahm filled the left-back position, with Roy Makaay restored to the attack after dropping to the bench last week. The wide positions went to Hasan Salihamidzic and Sebastian Deisler, with Olli Kahn back between the sticks after a two-match absence.

Claudio Pizarro and Naohiro Takahara traded shots in the first five minutes as the sides set off at a brisk pace, but after Salihamidzic skied a ninth minute effort, the visitors gradually gained the upper hand as the Reds struggled for rhythm and precision.

The northerners simply looked up for the scrap, tackling hard and early, and denying Bayern's creative players any kind of space to operate.

Makeshift right-back Mehdi Mahdavikia was a constant threat, with former Bayern youth David Jarolim getting through a huge amount of chasing and harrying in midfield.

Demel, criminally unmarked at the back stick after a 17th minute corner, crashed home the opener from a tight angle, and the visitors came closer to a second than the home side to an equaliser in the period up to the break.

The leaders had Kahn to thank for tipping Takahara's angled drive round the post after a neat passing move involving fit-again superstar Rafael van der Vaart, as it became clear Magath would need to react at half-time.

Ali Karimi and Bastian Schweinsteiger duly replaced Salihamidzic and Deisler for the second 45 minutes, but the play was scrappy up to the hour mark when the Reds upped the tempo and forced a string of corners.

The unlucky Karimi limped off following an awkward challenge on 61 minutes, veteran Mehmet Scholl taking his place. Tempers boiled over briefly when van der Vaart and Pizarro tangled, but the next chance fell to Takahara, a constant menace with his pace over the slippery surface.

There was little structure to Bayern's attacks in the last quarter of the match, but the Reds poured forward and HSV keeper Stefan Wächter pulled off a stunning reaction save to deny Pizarro on 77 minutes.

The northerners found space to counter-attack now, but Sergei Barbarez squandered the opportunity to seal the points with nine minute remaining.

Instead, Scholl strode forward onto Ballack's 83rd minute knock-down to bury a drilled effort from 18 metres and bring his side level.

Both sides had chances in a thrilling finale, but de Jong was the man of the moment as he stooped to head past Kahn with a minute remaining.

Reporting for fcbayern.de from the Allianz Arena: Chris Hamley

Bayern Munich – Hamburg SV 1-2 (H-T: 0-1)

Bayern Munich: Kahn – Sagnol, Lucio, Ismael, Lahm – Deisler (Karimi 46/ Scholl 61), Ballack, Demichelis, Salihamidzic (Schweinsteiger 46) – Makaay, Pizarro

Substitutes: Rensing, Ottl, Jeremies

Hamburg SV: Wächter – Mahdavikia, Demel, Boulahrouz, Atouba – Jarolim, de Jong, van der Vaart (Klingbeil 67), Trochowski (Reinhardt 90) – Barbarez, Takahara (Fillinger 87)

Referee: Mr Meyer (Burgdorf)

Spectators: 69.000 (capacity)

Goals: 0-1 Demel (16), 1-1 Scholl (83), 1-2 de Jong (89)

Yellow Cards: Pizarro, Ballack, Schweinsteiger / Takahara, Jarolim, Mahdavikia, van der Vaart, de Jong