The famous clock will keep on ticking at the Imtech Arena – despite a disastrous season, the Bundesliga's only permanent members have avoided a first ever relegation. HSV secured a dramatic 2-1 win after extra time in the second leg of the play-offs, to claim a 3-2 aggregate victory over Karlsruher SC and avoid the drop to the second tier. Meanwhile, KSC’s six-year wait to return to the top flight will go on.
Substitute Nicolai Müller scored HSV’s winning goal in the 115th minute, after Marcelo Diaz had fired home an injury-time free kick to force a further 30 minutes of extra time. Reinhold Yabo’s strike in the 78th minute opened the scoring for Karlsruhe, who only climbed back up from the third tier two years ago and had dreams of two promotions in as many years. KSC also missed a last-second penalty in extra time, as René Adler palmed away Rouwen Hennings’ spot kick, although it was unlikely to have affected the result.
“I don’t know if you have to give a free kick when the ball is fired at your hand from two metres away,” said KSC president Ingo Wellenreuther of referee Manuel Gräfe’s decision to award the stoppage-time free kick that led to Hamburg’s equaliser.
The famous clock will keep on ticking at the Imtech Arena – despite a disastrous season, the Bundesliga's only permanent members have avoided a first ever relegation. HSV secured a dramatic 2-1 win after extra time in the second leg of the play-offs, to claim a 3-2 aggregate victory over Karlsruher SC and avoid the drop to the second tier. Meanwhile, KSC’s six-year wait to return to the top flight will go on.
Substitute Nicolai Müller scored HSV’s winning goal in the 115th minute, after Marcelo Diaz had fired home an injury-time free kick to force a further 30 minutes of extra time. Reinhold Yabo’s strike in the 78th minute opened the scoring for Karlsruhe, who only climbed back up from the third tier two years ago and had dreams of two promotions in as many years. KSC also missed a last-second penalty in extra time, as René Adler palmed away Rouwen Hennings’ spot kick, although it was unlikely to have affected the result.
“I don’t know if you have to give a free kick when the ball is fired at your hand from two metres away,” said KSC president Ingo Wellenreuther of referee Manuel Gräfe’s decision to award the stoppage-time free kick that led to Hamburg’s equaliser.
