Reaction to 3-2 win over HSV: "Hard graft, but a real spectacle" | OneFootball

For a long time, it looked like Borussia Dortmund was headed for a wasted Saturday evening, until the home game against Hamburger SV was turned around in the second half after being 0-2 down and was ultimately won 3-2. Players and officials were, of course, delighted with the comeback, but they also did not leave the first 45 minutes unmentioned.

“In the first half, you could only be disappointed and, to some extent, angry. The two goals we conceded were actually symbolic of our performance. We didn’t have the intensity in the challenges, and there were a lot of technical inaccuracies,” criticized managing director Lars Ricken on the club’s website, but then also highlighted the strong reaction in conjunction with the fans: “After the 1-2, the stadium exploded, and then the belief was back. It was hard work, but also a spectacle. The whole stadium stuck together, and the team showed character.”

Meanwhile, Gregor Kobel saw the substitutions of Ramy Bensebaini and Serhou Guirassy, who ultimately were responsible for the three goals, as the game changer: “The guys who came on did a top job. The whole intensity and focus of the entire team changed,” said the goalkeeper, who saw a significantly improved BVB side after the break: “We completely pinned Hamburg back in the second half. They didn’t have a chance to get out because we simply had good speed and good physicality. It was a very good performance in the second half. An awesome game, really cool.”

Kovac praises the energy of the stadium

Niko Kovac made no secret of his dissatisfaction with the first-half performance and that the halftime substitutions were a response to it: “HSV did a lot of things right in the first half, defended very intensely. We definitely played much too slowly and didn’t manage to create overload situations. That’s why we addressed a lot at halftime and made an impact with the two substitutions.”

Photo: IMAGO

Kovac also cited the fans as a factor for the improvement after the change of sides, but also praised his team for a completely different appearance: “In the second half, this stadium showed an energy that helps us. The way we played in the second half pleased me; that’s what I would have liked to see from the first minute. And then Signal Iduna Park did the rest.”

All in all, the BVB coach was satisfied, but also made it clear that he wants to keep the tension high: “Despite the three penalties, we deserved to win and, after the international break, hopefully we’ll continue to collect the points we need.”

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