SV Hamburg clinch Bundesliga return after seven years in 2nd tier
Former European champions SV Hamburg stormed back into the Bundesliga after seven agonising years in the second division with an emphatic 6-1 triumph over now relegated Ulm.
Ulm led from Tom Gaal in the seventh minute but their fate was effectively sealed when after Ludovit Reis had levelled in the 10th they failed to convert a penalty from Selim Telalovic in the 36th.
Advertisement
Hamburg pounced immediately to lead 3-1 at the half from Ransford Königsdörffer in the 42nd and Davie Selke in stoppage time.
A bizarre own goal from Philipp Strompf four minutes after the restart ended all doubts, Königsdorffer added a classy second in the 62nd before Daniel Elfadli wrapped up matters late on in front of an ecstatic 57,000-strong crowd.
Hamburg won three Bundesliga titles, the German Cup, the European Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup in their heydays in the late 1970s and first half of the 1980s wit5h a team including Kevin Keegan, Felix Magath and Manfred Kaltz.
But in 2018 they became the last founding member of the Bundesliga in 1963 to be relegated. They failed six times to return into the top flight, finishing fourth on four occasions and third twice before losing play-off ties.
Advertisement
Part of it was down to their "April curse" or "promotion jitters" in the form of late collapses.
It happened again when they managed just one point from the three final April games, but other teams in a tight promotion race also faltered and Hamburg got back on winning tracks last weekend with a 4-0 in Darmstadt.
The team of young coach Melvin Polzin, who took over from Steffen Baumgart late last year, secured promotion with one game to spare.
They are one point ahead of Cologne who also close to instant promotion back, with Elversberg four points back in the play-off spot in their bid to become the first club in 32 years from the small south-western state of Saarland to reach the top flight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Soccer has changed, but the drama and dynamics of penalties remain
England's victory over Sweden at the women's Euros came after one of the worst penalty shootouts in history (or at least, worst in terms of how many penalties were missed; in terms of drama, it was arguably one of the greatest ever). Of the 14 penalties taken, only five were scored. That led, predictably, to the usual tedious criticism of the women's game and suggestions that the penalty spot should be moved closer to the goal. Which is, of course, nonsense. Four of the five penalties that were scored were excellent, hit firmly into the corners, and the other, the kick that turned out to be the winner, was smashed sensibly and without fuss, straight down the middle by Lucy Bronze as the goalkeeper Jennifer Falk dived out of the way. Two nights later, as Germany beat France in a shootout, 12 of the 14 penalties were scored. In the Women's Super League last season, 90.32% of penalties were converted. Nobody has used those examples to suggest moving the penalty spot further away to give goalkeepers more of a chance. Related: Ann-Katrin Berger follows up biblical miracle with penalty heroics for Germany | Jonathan Liew It is one of the great fascinations of soccer that, since penalties were introduced in 1891, the spot has remained 12 yards from goal as the size and shape of the penalty area has changed. It turns out that being one-and-a-half times further from the goal than the distance between the posts creates a scenario that feels fair and has a remarkable balance. That may in part be the result of familiarity, but at almost every level of the game in the 135 years since, roughly three-quarters of penalties have been scored. That is to say, the contest between striker and goalkeeper remained constant – a relative lack of power in the striker at junior level, for instance, matched by a lack of size in the goalkeeper. Before the Germany v France shootout on Saturday, only 12 of 29 penalties had been scored at the Euros – 41.38%. After the shootout, that percentage had risen to 57.14%. With small datasets there's always a danger of interpreting random variations as patterns, but it did seem that panic had set in. Even before the high tension of England against Sweden, Norway's former Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg had missed two penalties in the tournament, including, critically, in her country's quarter-final defeat to Italy. That, perhaps, was enough to plant a seed of doubt, which blossomed in England and Sweden's shootout, when both sides suffered a collective loss of nerve. Anxiety is contagious and far from unknown in penalty shootouts: it happened, for instance, to Barcelona as they missed four out of four in a shootout against Steaua Bucharest in the 1986 European Cup final, and to Manchester United as they missed four out of five against Sunderland in the 2014 League Cup semi-final. The England-Sweden contagion then seemed to escape the confines of its own shootout, as Spain missed two penalties in beating Switzerland on Friday and Germany missed a penalty against France in the 90 minutes. Related: England's Hannah Hampton hits the headlines in latest act of unlikely career The shootout is perhaps the area of soccer in which psychology matters most. In the 2006 World Cup, Germany's goalkeeper Jens Lehmann made great play of consulting notes he had scribbled on hotel notepaper and hidden in his sock before each Argentina penalty in the quarter-final. It turned out that, of the seven players he had jotted down, only two actually took penalties, but the belief he had specific knowledge was enough to unnerve Argentina, who lost the shootout 4–2. Goalkeepers increasingly have data to help inform their decisions. Germany's keeper on Sunday, Ann-Katrin Berger, had notes taped to her water bottle. On TV, the names of only two French players were clearly visible: Amel Majri and Alice Sombath. In both cases, Berger was advised to dive left. She did and on each occasion saved the kick. Given Berger's notes were shown clearly several minutes before the end of normal time, could somebody have informed the French staff who could then have passed on the message for at least some of their takers to change plan? Or would asking a player to vary from their preferred method of conversion itself make them more likely to miss? That's part of the glorious game theory of penalties. At the moment, it feels like an arms race. VAR set goalkeepers back for a time, denying them the skip forward they habitually took as the penalty was taken. But goalkeepers have now worked out how to advance with one foot, the other remaining in contact with the goalline. As strikers have learned how to stagger their run to wait for the keeper to move first, so keepers have more data and can predict such subterfuge. In the Premier League last season, 83.13% of penalties were converted, which is on the high side historically, but actually a drop of just over 6% from the previous season. The season before that, only 74.75% were scored. In fact, what is striking when looking at penalty conversion rates over the past three decades is how little pattern there is – from a low of 65.75% in 2001–02 to the high of the season before last, and all points in between. Penalties are missed, penalties are scored, the taker's cause is developed, and then the keeper's, and sometimes panic sets in, yet somehow the proportion of penalties scored largely remains at 75-80%. Balance remains. This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@ and he'll answer the best in a future edition.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Weekend Warm-up: What does Bayern Munich NEED to do in this transfer window? We might know; Throwing it back to MGMT; Bayern Munich making more progress with Liverpool's Luis Diaz; and MORE!
The summer transfer window is roughly 25% over and Bayern Munich has not made much progress on player acquisitions and player sales. Aside of some loan movement for academy players, the Bavarians have succeeded in bringing in midfielder Tom Bischof and center-back Jonathan Tah, but have only managed to sell Mathys Tel, serially unhappy winger Nestory Irankunda, and academy products like Gabriel Vidović and Frans Krätzig, who were deemed to have no future in Bavaria In addition to those moves, Bayern Munich also let free agents Eric Dier and Leroy Sané walk away as well. So…what does Bayern Munich NEED to do, let's take a look… Get VfB Stuttgart's Woltemade Tensions are very high between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich at the moment, but Woltemade is the most crucial acquisition the Bavarians can realistically make. Sure, he can play anywhere across the frontline and would be a nice asset to have on the roster this season, but the future is the key here. There is no indication that Harry Kane will remain past the end of the 2025/26 season (there is also no indication he will leave, either to be is very much up in the air), so Bayern Munich must be prepared for his exit. Woltemade would guarantee a succession plan and anything you get from him this season would be icing on the cake. Should Kane opt to extend his contract or just play out the end of his current deal (which ends in 2027), things could get complicated. However, if the club truly believes Woltemade will be a star, there will not be a better, less expensive time to get him. Shift focus from LFC's Diaz to RB Leipzig's Simons Liverpool FC winger Luis Diaz is the favorite to land in Bavaria and his performance will likely determine the future employment status of Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl. Right now, this writer does not have enough confidence in Diaz to make a big investment in him. While not perfect, RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons is more versatile, is already well-versed in the culture of Germany and the Bundesliga, and just might be a better fit overall. The downside of Simons could be a questionable attitude or mentality, but being surrounded by an established core of veterans could help iron out any issues there. Give the kids a chance Paul Wanner and Lennart Karl are currently slated to be given an opportunity during the preseason. For Wanner, any attacking acquisitions might push him to seek out a loan, but Bayern Munich really needs to find a way to see where the kid is at in his development because right now, everything is iffy. As for Karl, he will reportedly get a chance to backup Michael Olise, which could be a great way to give the youngster minutes, while also reducing the wear-and-tear on the Frenchman. Sell! Sell! Sell! Part of Eberl's big assignment for the summer is to get rid of some dead weight on the roster. The list is not that long, but it could be impactful: Kim Min-jae: The Korean defender has not yet fully asserted himself in Bavaria and — on the surface — it would be great to keep him as part of a three-man rotation at center-back. That scenario might not be amenable for the defender, though. Given that, Eberl has to find a trade partner, who can pay a big chunk of what the Bavarians paid for Min-jae just two summers ago. Daniel Peretz: The goalkeeper has little hope for playing time and a very limited future outlook in Bavaria. Whatever Bayern Munich can get for Peretz would be fine. Sacha Boey: Vincent Kompany might like the right-back, but his injury history and status as the third right-back on the depth chart makes him eminently expendable. Bayern Munich would take a big hit on the transfer fee as it will get nothing close to what it paid for him back in 2024 (€30 million). João Palhinha: The midfielder is more valuable to other clubs and does not have a future at Bayern Munich. It would be a quick turnaround, but this likely needs to happen. Bryan Zaragoza: No one at Bayern Munich wants him and it seems like he has made little effort to really acclimate to the club since arriving in January of 2024. A parting of the ways is best for everyone. Identify a worthy, flexible center-back to join the squad Selling Kim Min-jae will leave a void at center-back — one which Josip Stanišić might not be totally equipped to handle. might not be 'it.' The former Bayer Leverkusen defender did not look great during the Club World Cup and — it could be argued — might be better served as part of a rotation where he can rest more. Right now, there are no clear options, but Min-jae's departure would require a quality defender to be brought in. Stop wasting time Enough with the chases for players like Bradley Barcola and Nico Williams. Bayern Munich does not have time to waste and should focus on attainable targets. Hang in there Cutting payroll this summer is going to be a massive task. Sure, Eberl can likely unload the players we mentioned above, but anything more would be incredibly difficult to make happen. However, at this time next year, Bayern Munich will have already seen several players with high salaries already reach the expiration date on their respective deals. Check out the list: Manuel Neuer: €21 million Serge Gnabry: €18.9 million Leon Goretzka: €13 million Raphaël Guerreiro: €8 million One big name missing from that list is Dayot Upamecano who makes €10 million. Bayern Munich is expected to extend the Frenchman's deal, but it will likely come with a massive pay increase. Kane, who makes €21 million and has a deal that expires in 2027, could also be on the move next summer and players like Kingsley Coman (€17 million), and Konrad Laimer (€9 million) could get sold a year ahead of their contract expiration. relief is on the way. Are you onboard with this plan? If not, what would you do? Tell us in the comments. Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 4, Episode 52 Bayern Munich's summer has been one filled with rumors and, well, not much action. But why? Let's dig into how things are playing out and why Bayern Munich could be facing some tough times ahead. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show: Luis Diaz is either onto make or break Max Eberl's Bayern Munich career, isn't he? Is the rest of the Bundesliga sick of being bullied by Bayern Munich? Is the league bleeding too much talent? After BPW called for it, will Paul Wanner finally get his chance? It looks like it. Lennart Karl could also get his big break. The father of Florian Wirtz talks through how the decision to join Liverpool played out. HBO screwed me this week…find out how and why! Diaz While we might want to pass on getting Liverpool FC's Luis Diaz, it appears that Bayern Munich is making progress on that pursuit per Sport Bild's Tobi Altschäffl (via @iMiaSanMia): Bayern are making progress for Luis Díaz. After Liverpool's initial 'not-for-sale' stance, there are now indications that things are really moving forward and that concrete negotiations can begin soon. A meeting between Bayern and Liverpool officials is planned soon. Díaz has agreed a 4-year deal until 2029 at Bayern worth around €14m gross per year that could go up through performance based add-ons. The Colombian has informed Liverpool of his desire to leave. At this point, it would be shocking if Bayern Munich does not land Diaz. Song of the Week: 'Kids' by MGMT Admittedly, I have a bit of a soft spot for MGMT. A while back I featured 'Time to Pretend', which I think is a genius song. This week, though, the song 'Kids' is on the agenda — and maybe not for the reason you think. I stumbled across this video of the group playing the song on their college campus and I am complete sucker for this kind of thing: Anyway, MGMT would go on to 'make it' and eventually put out 'Kids' for real. Released back in 2008, this was in a heavy rotation on the alt rock stations in Philly at the time and I was a fan. Enjoy: Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 7, Episode 60 Bayern Munich is embroiled in a lot at the moment. Transfers, potential front office instability, and youth development are at the forefront of the discussion, so let's talk about all of that and more! This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show: Bayern Munich saw bids for VfB Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade and Liverpool's Luis Diaz what? It appears that Max Eberl and the fellas are going to keep plugging away. Why it is hard — even as a fan — to just dismiss the financial ramifications of such deals. Are Christoph Freund and Max Eberl on the hot seat? We have explored the topic before, but this could be a make or break season for the duo. Nestory Irankunda became the latest youngster who did not work out in why? Is Paul Wanner the next to go? Entertainment Rundown Squid Game: The Challenge This is a weird one because I did not watch the whole season, but the reality show/game show version of Squid Game is out was pretty good. While they can't gun down contestants or let them physically harm each other, the premise was solid, the interpersonal dynamics were interesting, and it My kids were watching it, so I caught a few episodes with them. For anyone who likes the show or is a fan of the mixed reality show/game show format, this was solid. The Wire HBO did me dirty. Typically, the network will go through phases of playing one of the series it has produced on two of its channels over the course of a week. In a way, it is the HBO version of allowing its viewers to partake in a lazy binge watch, where they do not even have to surf over to a streaming service. Of late, there have been some good series (like The Sopranos) that will grab my attention and ruin my sleep cycle, but more often than not, it is some random series that I could not care any less about. Not this week. HBO ran The Wire and while I definitely did not sit in for a binge marathon, it did steal at least a few hours of sleep late night for a few days. I had not watched any episodes in quite a while, but it did bring me right back to remembering why the show was one of the most brilliant and captivating series ever produced. It also made me wonder if I should do the a retrospective on the show like I did on Game of Thrones. What do you think? More from A forgettable international match day for all Bayern Munich players involved Czech Republic vs Germany lineup, discussion: Time, TV schedule and how to watch World Cup Qualifiers online 'What about Thomas Müller?' Support pours in for Bayern Munich's troubled icon BFW Transfer Deadline Day 2017 live thread Kingsley Coman confident of his part in Bayern Munich's plans this season Report: Renato Sanches set for loan move to Swansea Would this guy be the perfect backup for Robert Lewandowski?
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
France football boss backs coach despite 'cruel' Women's Euros elimination
French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo told AFP on Monday he was backing women's coach Laurent Bonadei despite the "cruel disappointment" of France being knocked out at the quarter-final stage of Euro 2025. Les Bleues lost on penalties to a Germany side who played with 10 women for almost all of a gruelling encounter which finished 1-1 after extra-time. But for Diallo there's no question of sacking Bonadei. "After the Olympics, we put our faith in Laurent until the World Cup (in 2027) with the aim of helping this team make the transition from one generation to the next," said Diallo. "With 11 consecutive wins and a successful group stage (at the Euros), there are positive things to remember. But with a lot of humility, we have to get back to work, and that will be with Laurent Bonadei," he added. However, the federation president made no attempt to play down the heartbreak of failing to progress past the quarter-finals despite being a goal and a player up in normal time. Diallo described the loss to Germany as "a cruel disappointment", adding "everything had been put in place for this team to go much further in the tournament". "It's a real setback, the eighth time in the last nine major tournaments that France have been eliminated at the quarters," he added. "We're going to have to think with the coach and those in charge of women's football at the FFF about how we can work better." Bonadei did not include former captain Wendie Renard and vastly experienced forward Eugenie Le Sommer in his squad. In the group phase, France beat reigning champions England 2-1 in their opening match before thrashing Wales 4-1 and outclassing the Netherlands 5-2. ali/ig/lle/nf/
