After debut goal: Is Philippe set to take off now? | OneFootball

Rayan Philippe had a tough start at HSV in the first few weeks. Against Heidenheim, he scored his first goal in his new kit and afterwards expressed great happiness.

Because Hamburger SV managed to defeat the bottom team with a 2:1 after a hard fight, celebrating their first victory since their return to the Bundesliga. Rayan Philippe scored the 2:0 in the 59th minute after a wonderful combination from the right side by Giorgi Gocholeishvilli and Fábio Vieira. "What a great feeling to score a goal in front of the North Stand. Super," he said in high spirits after the game (via Bild).

"Scoring a goal in such a crazy stadium is a wonderful thing. I play football for exactly these kind of experiences," said the Frenchman, who scored for Eintracht Braunschweig at Volkspark as recently as April. Apart from the goal, he also created dangerous situations by using his speed of up to 35 km/h and thus repeatedly outpaced the opposing players on the right wing.

Is Philippe establishing himself in the starting lineup?

Philippe's upswing was already hinted at last week. During the 0:5 defeat against FC Bayern Munich, he came on in the second half and put in a committed performance that also convinced coach Merlin Polzin. The 24-year-old was now called up to the starting lineup in a Bundesliga match for the first time. His protégé greatly appreciated the nomination: "It is very important for me to be on the pitch at kickoff. It's easier for me if I can start. I have to admit that."

Already in the preparation, Philippe, who also played in Luxembourg and the third French league in his career, regularly belonged to the starting lineup. However, he struggled with his role on the right wing as well as the unusually high pace of the game. By now, the trained striker seems to have adapted to the new conditions.

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Therefore, he is also likely to be in the starting lineup for the away game at Union Berlin (Sunday, 7.30 pm). Polzin, for one, had plenty of praise: "Philippe is a player we signed with full conviction. He has a quality in terms of his speed and his finality." The aforementioned strengths will be regularly needed by HSV, which often relies on counterattacking, in the further course of the season.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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