Daka makes dream debut, HSV beat favoured foes Heidenheim | OneFootball

Last season, HSV won all three competitive matches against 1. FC Heidenheim. They kept that streak alive in today’s friendly as well.

At the end of an intensive training week at their training camp in Austria, the Hanseatic side initially saw more of the ball in glorious sunshine but failed to make the most of their first chances. Heidenheim, newly relegated from the Bundesliga and based in the Ostalb region, then grew stronger and nearly took the lead. Martin Adeline cleared a header from ever-present Patrik Mainka off the line.

At the other end, Nicolás Capaldo picked out Patson Daka, who had just come on for Yussuf Poulsen — with workload management still the priority for him — and got to the ball a step ahead of goalkeeper Frank Feller before being brought down. Albert Grønbaek coolly converted the resulting penalty to give HSV a 1:0 lead at the break. Head coach Merlin Polzin made several changes for the second half, including bringing on Rayan Philippe. Following a transition move involving Immanuel Pherai and Daka, Philippe raced through on Feller and finished calmly into the right corner to make it 2:0 (49').

Photo: IMAGO

HSV: Daka with three goal contributions in 20 minutes

However, the joy on the Hamburg side was short-lived. In the 54th minute, 1. FC Heidenheim pulled one back through a deflected long-range effort from Oualid Mhamdi. Less than 180 seconds later, HSV restored their two-goal cushion: Grønbaek threaded a perfectly timed pass through to Daka, who kept his composure one-on-one with Feller and slotted home low to make it 3:1.

For the striker, who had only signed earlier this week, it was all over again after just 62 minutes. Daka, who is still far from full match fitness, had already done his job by then, having been involved in all three goals within 20 minutes. After that, HSV — rotating players in every outfield position — never looked like letting things slip and comfortably saw out their lead.

HSV lined up with:

Heuer Fernandes,-Capaldo (46. Nandja), Torunarigha (62. Elfadli), Omari (46. Bissi Mouelle),-Jatta (62. Ojo), Remberg (62. Amoako), Sambi Lokonga (46. Pherai), Lemke (76. Nadir),-Adeline (46. Philippe), Grønbaek (62. Sedlatschek), Poulsen (34. Daka, 62. Sahiti)

Photo: IMAGO

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.