Mirko Slomka made radical changes to his starting line-up. He introduced three players to their HSV debut – Holtby, Green and Nicolai Müller. Slomka also threw a bombshell by picking back up keeper, Drobny in preference to Rene Adler. Hannover on the other hand, came into this game with a very settled line-up, only changing one player from last game's starting line-up.
Joselu was put through in the 3rd minute by Bittencourt but Joselu was showing early game nerves and skewed the ball wide of Drobny's goal. Things were looking dangerous for Hamburg early on.
Hannover made the early running, keeping the ball and having the majority of the possession. HSV had a good opportunity on the counter after just 6 minutes, but Lasogga fluffed his volleyed effort well wide of goal.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 13th minute after Andreasen was able to get a strong header on target after Albornoz's well directed cross. There was nothing that Drobny could do in the Hamburger goal. Special praise must go to Joselu in the build up to that goal. He was able to hold up the ball and attract a second defender, before laying the ball off for Albornoz to cross.
Just two minutes later, Lasogga wasted an unbelievable opportunity for HSV to restore parity. Julian Green played a pinpoint cross from the right-hand flank, and it seemed initially as if Lasogga hit the ball plum on his head, but unfortunately for him, the ball sailed just over the crossbar. In the 20th minute HSV created another opening. Holtby was able to chest a ball down and get his shot away, but his effort once again went just wide of Zieler's goal.
Hannover was able to stretch their lead in the 24th minute. A great build up down the left hand side was finished off, in scrappy fashion (it has to be said) by Sobiech. Great work all round by Hannover. Albornoz and Kiyotake combined really well, before Joselu was able to put the ball on a plate for the Polish international.
Hamburg's next opening had to wait until the 35th minute. HSV were able to hit Hannover on the break, and were really unlucky to not peg one goal back. Firstly, Müller's cross was just out of Lasogga's reach, but Green was at the far post to get his shot away. Unfortunately for him, his shot was hit straight at Marcelo where the rebound came to Holtby. He then managed to get a shot off from the edge of the area but his effort was skyed high and wide of goal.
As the first half went on, Hannover decided to defend a little deeper so they would not be exposed to the counter. Late on in the first half, there were times where HSV were required to keep possession and break down the Hannover defence, but they were lacking creativity and imagination. You thought that if Hannover would choose to continue to defend deep in the second half, HSV would have no chance of pegging back their lead.
HSV had a chance to peg one goal back pretty much straight after the interval. The Hannover defence were completely caught out by a route-one hoof from Drobny. The ball found Müller one-on-one with Zieler, but he once again just placed his volley just wide of Zieler's right-hand goal post. An incredible chance that came from nothing.
In the 52nd minute, Albornoz produced another fine cross which was unable to be capitalised by Joselu in the centre. The Spanish centre forward looked a constant threat throughout, but was unable to finish any of his many chances.
Hannover's next big chance came from the most unlikely of sources. In the 63rd minute, Christian Schulz pulled the pin from around 20 yard out. His volley was well hit and well placed, but somehow Drobny got his finger tips on the ball and veered the ball into touch.
In the 66th minute Zoltan Stieber found his way past a couple Hannover defenders and was able to put through a brilliant cross for Rudnevs. Rudnevs found himself completely clear and only needed to hit the target, but somehow skewed his effort. Hamburg were producing quite a few chances, but were completely wasting them. Shocking finishing it has to be said.
Hannover thought they were 3-0 shortly after as their set-piece bundled off the crossbar. The ball never crossed the line even though when first seen live, it appeared to have done so. Fortunately there was no controversy in the decision as a Hannover player was caught in an off-side decision leading up to that incident.
The final minutes of the game saw HSV pile on the pressure but to no avail. Not surprisingly, HSV had just as many shots on goal (11) as Hannover but were unable to get one shot on target. Even though Hannover probably were the better side, the game could have gone the completely other way had HSV taken some of their many, easy guilt edged chances.