With the situation at the bottom end of the table growing tighter by the week, Hamburg could ill-afford another performance like the Valentines Day massacre suffered at the Allianz Arena.
Meanwhile, Borussia were looking to keep the pressure on at the top end of the table, knowing a win would preserve their third place position, and put pressure on Wolfsburg going into their game later in the afternoon.
It was a frantic start at the Volksparkstadion, with a delivery into the ‘Gladbach box causing panic as the ball rattled around, while at the other end Kruse fired over after a feed from Herrmann. Just moments later, Herrmann himself hit the post with a shot from close range in a manic opening five minutes of the match.
Gouaida was seeing a lot of the ball on the flanks, and when his cross found Olic in the 18th minute many would have thought a save would be needed, but the Croatian could only glance his header across goal.
HSV were establishing some nice play down the inside channels, and Diekmier got into a good position in the 20th minute, but he could only lash his shot across goal.
The home side continued to press and make it difficult for Borussia, and in the 33rd minute Rudnevs (on for the injured Olic) carried the ball forward and was seemingly scythed down on the edge of the box. Nevertheless, the referee pointed to the ball and said play on.
A couple of half chances followed before the break, firstly when Stieber shanked a shot wide from the edge of the box, and then a couple of minutes later Traore sent a dangerous free-kick narrowly over for ‘Gladbach.
The sides went in level at the break in a cagey affair in which end product was lacking. Both sides were well set to have a real go in the second half, however, and it seemed like goals may be on the way in the second period.
The opening stages of the second half were lacking any rhythm and neither team seemed to want to force the game too much.
Eventually, the deadlock was broken in the 73rd minute, courtesy of Zoltan Stieber of Hamburg. The ball was poked loose in midfield, and Rudnevs brought it forward before laying it off to Stieber, who cut onto his left foot and curled the ball around Sommer into the back of the net.
Just as it seemed Hamburg had done enough to claim the win, despite being wasteful on the break, they were stunned by a 92nd minute equaliser. Having won a corner on the right, substitute Hrgota rose to power a header into the bottom corner, although there were questions of an offside against Raffael on the line.
The referee blew the whistle shortly after, and the home side had been denied a valuable win, but have nobody to blame but themselves following a disappointing set piece goal right at the bitter end.
The story of the game was a lack of quality in the final third, but Zinnabuer will feel his side should have killed the game off. Its a point that most HSV supporters would have taken before the game, but it will feel like two points dropped after the heartbreak from Hrgota.
