Hamburger SV finally recorded their first win of the Bundesliga season after defeating fellow strugglers SV Darmstadt 98 2-0 at the Jonathan-Heimes-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
In what was classed as a relegation six-pointer, the visitors came out on top in a game that was void of a lot of chances. The visitors took the lead on the half-hour mark when Michael Gregoritsch headed in the opening goal.
The hosts just couldn't muster much a comeback and just before the end of the game, Matthias Ostrzolek sealed the game for Die Rothosen with a well-taken goal to move the team of the bottom of the table.
Cagey start from both teams
The first half began very cagey as both teams looked to not fall behind in a crucial game for both. It was clear though why both teams were laying in the bottom three of the table by some of the play early on.
This was until a beautiful through ball found Gregoritsch in on goal put he poked his left-footed shot wide of the goal when he should have done so much better.
Gregoritsch opened the scoring yet again for the visitors
The midfielder though made up for that miss on the half-hour mark when he headed in the opening goal of the game for the visitors from a good cross from Filip Kostic.
The hosts just couldn't get going at all throughout the whole half as their low confidence levels showed as they failed to create a decent opening at all.
It was the visitors who could have doubled their lead just before half-time when Nicolai Müller found space on the edge of the box but his piledriver went over the bar.
That turned out to be the final chance of half as the visitors went in with a deserved lead that their play deserved.
Hosts struggles continue
The second half barely saw much action in terms of shots as the visitors defended extremely well throughout to deny the hosts from having any chance of getting back into the game.
It was the visitors themselves that should have put the game out of sight early on in the second half when Muller headed a decent chance over the bar when he should have hit the target.
Ostrzolek sealed the three points for the visitors
The hosts even though they lacked the quality, threw bodies forward to try and get an equaliser but by doing that they left themselves exposed at the back and on the counter attack, the visitors sealed the three points after Ostrzolek put the ball into the net.
There were no further chances in the game as finally after twelve games without a win, the visitors got their first three points of the season to hopefully now start to move up the table.