HSV throw away 2-0 lead: Vieira substitution raises questions! | OneFootball

HSV had to concede defeat to Borussia Dortmund despite a 2-0 lead at halftime. Many fans were particularly frustrated with a substitution made by Merlin Polzin.

It was the 67th minute when Damion Downs and Fabio Baldé, who is still getting accustomed to the pace of the Bundesliga, came on for Fábio Vieira and Philip Otele. Seventeen minutes later, BVB had turned the 0-2 into a 3-2, defeating a very courageous Hamburger SV from the first half. "The substitutions were unfortunately an own goal" or "Second half absolutely mismanaged unfortunately" was the rather unanimous fan assessment on social media after the game ended.

Particularly the removal of Vieira, by far the most technically skilled and therefore the most ball-secure player in the squad, raised questions. HSV had already struggled to relieve the increasing pressure from Dortmund, and this was significantly reduced after the Portuguese player, who set up the second goal with a wonderful pass to Sambi Lokonga, was taken off. Downs, who replaced him and moved to the front, once again seemed overwhelmed by his task, managing no more than three ball contacts.

Photo: IMAGO

HSV collapses after the break

Ultimately, it was only a matter of time before Dortmund's relentless attack – albeit aided by two penalties – was reflected in the score. HSV found no response to falling behind and didn't manage a single shot on goal in the second half. According to coach Merlin Polzin, the team was aware of what to expect after the break: "It was very important to me to address things because we knew what was coming our way."

Nur die Raute – All news about HSV

Nevertheless, the Hanseatic team, under constant pressure, conceded three goals within ten minutes. On one hand, the previously sluggish Dortmund team contributed to this with their much more energetic performance, and on the other hand, HSV acted far too passively and, apart from the outstanding goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, was generally far from their previous level. Polzin accordingly spoke of an "extremely bitter evening," from which he might draw some lessons for himself.

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