Hamburger SV hosted Karlsruher SC in the first leg of the relegation play-off on Thursday night, with the Dinosaurs eager, if not desperate, to preserve their Bundesliga status for another season.

For the home side, there will have been flashbacks of last season when they faced a similar situation against Greuther Fürth. In that play-off, they were able to turn a 0-0 stalemate first leg into an away goals survival. Having sneaked into 16th spot on the last day with a 2-0 win against Schalke and with three wins out of their last six, it was sure to be a tough game for Karlsruher at the Volksparkstadion.

KSC, despite having won their last game, failed to gain the automatic promotion they desired heading into the final game of the season, with Darmstadt taking care of their business. Nevertheless, the play-off was a second chance for Karlsruher to reach the promised land in the 120th year of existence.

Hamburg started brightly, and in just the second minute they had a dangerous free-kick delivery from Lewis Holtby was well cleared from a corner. Ivica Olic came close from the resulting set-piece, heading narrowly over at the near post.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead within four minutes as ex-Hamburg man Rouwen Hennings hit a superb low drive from the left flank straight past Adler into the bottom right corner. Superb technique to hit a low shot so firmly, and Rene Adler had no chance as the ball rattled the back of the net.

It was a shock for the hosts to be 1-0 down so early, and the travelling fans were making all the noise, but Hamburg eased back into the game, lacking composure at times.

With precious little created between the two teams in the first half hour, the impetous was on the home side to force the game and eliminate the early away goal. The vistors however came close with a free-kick and header from Daniel Gordon from a corner, and HSV must have realised the threat of a second away goal.

Karlsruher were pressing on Hamburg well and denying any creativity, and the home fans became increasingly frustrated as on several occasions the midfielders Diaz and Kaçar received the ball with no options up the field.

Pierre-Michel Lasogga produced an individual spark three minutes before the break as he turned towards goal, unleashing a low drive that was narrowly wide of the near post.

Tempers threatened to spill over with seconds to go before the break, Gojko Kačar raising an arm as he rose for an arial ball which some KSC players reacted badly to.

At half time it was 0-1 in favour of Karlsruher; an impressive and professional first half display that put them in the driving seat of the tie.

But, as Bruno Labbadia would have told his team during the break, 1-0 is a slender lead, and you felt Hamburg needed a tad of good fortune to flip this game around.

Karlsruher should have doubled their lead in the 52nd minute as they remarklably hit the bar twice in a matter of seconds. Firstly, the ball fell to Manuel Torres near the penalty spot with an almost open net, but he hit the crossbar. Eleven seconds later, Nazarov hit a lashing drive that swerved onto the bar, beating Adler all ends up.

It was testament to how well KSC were playing that the first substitution for Hamburg was Diekmeier coming on for Westermann, meaning a defensive switch. The home side had started the second half just as sloppy as the first, and frankly didn't look anything like scoring.

Marcelo Diaz did however find space around 25 yards out in the 62nd minute, but he sliced his effort narrowly wide of the right post with Orlishausen scrambling in the KSC goal.

As the hosts enjoyed a period of higher tempo play, the crowd got right behind them, although the threat of the counter was always there as Manuel Torres twice has space on the edge of the box, firing wide on both occasions.

Yabo was tackled inside the area by Djourou and somehow stayed on his feet when it would have been easy to go down for a penalty.

Hamburg knew that it just took one opportunity to drag themselves back into the encounter, and that moment was provided by Ivo Ilicevic. Having received the ball inside the area from a Diekmeier pass, he fired a devastating low drive past Orlishausen for his first goal since May 2014. The goal to make it 1-1 set up an interesting final fifteen minutes at a now rocking Imtech Arena.

Hennings had a speculative shot saved just two minutes later, Adler saving comfortably this time from the low effort 25 yards out.

With five minutes left, Lasogga turned and hit a curling low shot, this time Orlishausen saved, albeit at the second attempt.

There was to be no Volkspark farewell for Rafael van der Vaart as HSV used their final substitution to introduce Beister in place of Olic with just a minute of normal time remaining.

Hamburg so nearly grabbed the victory when Diaz hit a sweet half volley goalwards that was well tipped round. Almost a spectacular end to an intriguing game, which finished 1-1.

A tight game that opened up all possiblities for the second leg at the Wildparkstadion, and both Labbadia and Kauczinski will have reiterated to the team that the first leg hasn't really solved anything.

Perhaps if the visitors had more fortune they would have this tie done and dusted, but the clock still continues for now.