Red card woes cost HSV once again in defeat to Freiburg | OneFootball

It was all Freiburg at the start of the game as Lukas Kübler rattled the woodwork from a difficult angle with the best chance of the first-half. Matthias Ginter, Yuito Suzuki, and Lucas Höler also had decent chances inside the first 20 minutes to put the hosts ahead.

Heuer Fernandes was the best player for the visitors at this stage, and it seemed like a shoulder injury would see him substituted at the half-hour mark. With Daniel Peretz’s loan cancelled by Bayern Munich as the shot-stopper joined Southampton, 20-year-old Hannes Hermann was preparing to make his first-team debut. However, Fernandes managed to continue the game after a medical treatment on the pitch.

Luckily for him, HSV suddenly turned the game around in the last 15 minutes of the half. Noah Atubolu was equally impressive as the first-half ended goalless. The visitors continued on their good momentum after the restart as Luka Vuskovic broke the deadlock three minutes into the half. The header from Tottenham Hotspur’s loanee was given as a goal with the intervention of the goal-line technology.

Hamburg were searching for their first away win of the season, but Freiburg regained control with another decisive moment of the game early in the second-half. Daniel Elfadli conceded a penalty-kick for a foul on Höler, and he was also sent off for a second booking. Vincenzo Grifo’s penalty wasn’t as composed as it used to be, but Heuer Fernandes was unable to put a strong hand.

Hamburg’s goalie continued to struggle with the injury, although he had to play through to help his side snatch a draw. He was beaten once again in the 83rd minute, though. Hamburg-born and former St. Pauli striker Igor Matanović scored his third goal of the season from close range to complete the comeback for Freiburg. 

Ten-man HSV barely threatened to equalize despite 11 minutes added after the end of regular time. Freiburg climbed to eighth place thanks to their win in snowy conditions, while HSV are yet to test victory away from home in the Bundesliga.

Hamburg will host Bayer Leverkusen when matchday 16 starts on Tuesday. Freiburg will be on the road the next day with a game against RB Leipzig, who saw their game against St. Pauli postponed due to adverse weather conditions.