Hoffenheim got the tie underway and instantly went on the attack but with no success. 

Play switched up the other end and Holtby was able to get his head to a Müller cross although he was unable to convert.

A failed Hamburg costless kick found its way to full back Ostrzolek who was lurking outside the box but the full back could only lash an effort well wide of the target.

Hoffenheim broke on the counter with Modeste finding Firmino before the Brazilian weakly hit it at Volland who was unable to get on the end of it before Drobny gathered.

Modeste capitalised on an open Hamburg backline and further capitalised on Drobny's indecisiveness to come out by slotting it through the legs of the Czech keeper to give the visitors the lead after quarter of an hour.

Modeste found himself one-on-one no more than a minute later but he took too long to pull the trigger therefore he was dispossessed. A minute after that he was given another shot at goal but his speculative effort came to nothing.

Teen defender Sule forced Drobny into a save with a header from a Rudy delivery. Firmino fancied his chances with the spectacular on the rebounded effort but was unable to connect.

After some good work from Holtby, HSV were able to get three quick chances away all of which Baumann could only parry away.

Hamburg were forced into making an early change as Ashton Götz came on in place of Denis Diekmeier who appeared to still be struggling from an earlier knock on the half hour mark.

Müller robbed Firmino in midfield and the ball found its way to Arslan who then played in Lasogga who brought the game level with a superb finish around Baumann in the last ten of the half.

Van Der Vaart put a corner onto the head of Westermann, whose bullet header narrowly went wide of the mark and had fans in some areas of the Imtech arena celebrating.

In the last few seconds of the half, Firmino gave it to Elyounoussi on a silver platter but the Norwegian was gloriously denied by Drobny in the Hamburg net.

The sides came out unchanged and within thirty seconds Hamburg had won a corner. Westermann met the ball and headed across towards Lasogga but Modeste out jumped the German and forced another corner which came to no avail.

Müller's heels were clipped by Firmino and Van Der Vaart found himself standing over the resulting costless kick alongside Lasogga. It was the Dutchman who took the costless kick and hit it over the bar.

Firmino had a dip of the shoulder and shot goal wards and beat Drobny who had the post to thank for his poor keeping.

Lasogga finally got a shot away after some nice build up from the hosts but Baumann was able to save and almost gifted an empty net to Müller before making a great save. 

Soon after HSV won a costless kick and Lasogga was given the opportunity. The former Hertha striker blasted one towards goal and unfortunately for him, off of the side netting.

Inbetween the two Lasogga efforts the screen indicated that Hamburg had spent 49,000 hours and counting in the Bundesliga without ever being relegated.

Drobny palmed a grounded cross right under the nose of Volland but the German U21 International was unable to take advantage and Behrami was able to mop up the trouble.

Up the other end, only the woodwork could deny a ferocious Lasogga effort from giving Hamburg a somewhat deserving lead following a much improved second half performance.

Baumann pushed a Stieber effort away but only as far as goalscorer Lasogga who was unable to finish. Elyounoussi curled one past the post up the other end in a rare Hoffenheim attack of late. 

In the two additional minutes neither side could get a shot away and the honours were even.