3/25/2006
hsv.de

HSV lost their Bundesliga round 27 home match 2-4 against their bogey side Borussia Dortmund on Saturday afternoon (25.03.06). A sell out crowd of 56,000 in the AOL Arena saw a six goal thriller during which Benny Lauth scored his 4th goal in as many games and on loan striker Ailton opened his scoring account for HSV. Dortmund would not be beaten and scored some superb goals to stun the home fans into silence.

Forced HSV changes
HSV coach Thomas Doll was without several players as Dortmund came to town: Stefan Beinlich, David Jarolim and Duy Demel all missed out through injury, while left back Tim Atouba was suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card in Wolfsburg last time out. Despite those key omissions, Dolly and Co. were still determined to take maximum points against a side that they hadn’t beaten at home since 1997.

Benny scores again
Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller first denied Sergej Barbarez and then Piotr Trochowski (27., 31.) Two minutes later, Benny Lauth only just failed to reach a powerful pass delivered by Rafael van der Vaart. Lauth was to go one better two minutes later, as he bagged his 4th goal in as many games after René Klingbeil produced a superb pinpoint cross which Lauth converted with a diving header to pull his side level. Both sides cancelled each other out in midfield and the game was nicely poised at 1-1 at half time.

New record
If there was one thing that HSV (and indeed both sides) could count on it was the support of their loyal fans. For the first time ever, the AOL Arena had a capacity crowd of 56,000 after recent building work on the stadium increased the ground capacity by 200. As always, Dortmund took their full contingent of tickets and got behind their team, which has been improving lately. A sell out crowd, and a crowd which was to get full value for money as it turned out…

Smolarek breaks the deadlock
The opening minutes of the game were more or less spent feeling each other out. HSV was unable to find their way into the game and Dortmund concentrated on defensive matters at first, so entertainment was not the name of the game during the opening exchanges. The game actually came to life on 25 minutes with the opening goal for Borussia Dortmund, as Brazil-born Dede broke down the right before crossing into the HSV penalty area, where the Dortmund top scorer Smolarek was lurking to score his first goal in 8 games with a well taken volley. The HSV keeper Sascha Kirschstein never had a chance, as Smolarek took his impressive goal tally for the season to 13 for the season. That goal spelled the start of the most interesting part of the game, and HSV tried to reply right away…

Ailton’s first goal for HSV!
HSV came out for the second half as if on a mission. They upped the pressure on the visitors without being able to turn that pressure into goals: There followed half chances by Daniel van Buyten (48.), as well as Barbarez (51.). Rafael van der Vaart, (who is still obviously short of match practice) seemed to be unfairly impeded by the veteran Dortmund defender Christian Wörns on 54 minutes while in a promising position. On 61 minutes, Thomas Doll brought on Ailton, who had been out of action after breaking his jaw bone. Seven minutes later, the Brazilian striker put his side in front following fine approach work by Trochowski and Barbarez. The tremendous joy surrounding his first goal was short lived, because Dortmund replied within 60 seconds.

Dream goals by Dortmund
On 69 minutes Smolarek sprayed a wonderful pass onto the chest of Dortmund’s Czech Republic star Tomas Rosicky, who didn’t hesitate before unleashing an incredible volley into the top left hand corner of Kirschstein’s net with the HSV keeper powerless. Seven minutes from time, as if to add insult to injury, Florian Kringe produced a once in a lifetime shot from 25 metres out to give Dortmund a 3-2 lead. What a goal! Surely a candidate for goal of the month.

Adding insult to injury…
As HSV threw caution to the wind in injury time, keeper Kirschstein moved upfield for an injury time corner. Dortmund got possession and Rosicky advanced on goal with van Buyten in hot pursuit. The Belgian defender was far enough behind the midfielder for Rosicky to be able to celebrate his goal before he had actually scored it. HSV conceded more than two goals in a Bundesliga match for the first time this season, Khalid Boulahrouz will miss the mega-crucial trip to Schalke in round 28 after picking up a fifth yellow card. HSV lost crucial points in round 27 against Dortmund, and the fact that arch rivals Werder Bremen hammered Hanover at home, did not exactly help the HSV cause.

Match details:

HSV: Kirschstein – Mahdavikia, Boulahrouz, van Buyten, Klingbeil – Wicky – de Jong, Trochowski – van der Vaart – Lauth, Barbarez –

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller РP. Degen, Brzenska, W̦rns, Dede РRosicky, Kehl, N. Sahin РOdonkor, Smolarek, Buckley

Goals: 0-1 Smolarek (25.), 1-1 Lauth (35.), 2-1 Ailton (67.), 2-2 Rosicky (68.), 2-3 Kringe (83.) 2-4 Rosicky (90+3)

Referee: Gräfe

Attendance: 56,000 (Sold out)

Yellow cards: Lauth Boulahrouz Buckley Brzenska Rosicky