Two long-range rockets sink Gladbach as Hamburg win 3-1 in relegation fight

Two goals from way out, one red card and a very bad night for Gladbach: Hamburger SV beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 (1-1 at half-time) in a lively relegation clash on matchday nine of the Bundesliga, Germany's top football league.

The win lifts Hamburg from 15th to eighth. Gladbach stay rooted to the bottom with four points.

What happened?

Both sides had chances early on. Then, in the 11th minute, Miro Muheim picked up the ball just past the halfway line, pushed it forward and hit it from about 30 metres at roughly 130 km/h into the bottom right corner. It was his third goal of the season.

Gladbach hit back just before the break. Hamburg's Warmed Omari headed a cross out of the box, the ball fell to Joe Scally, and his shot took a deflection off Robin Hack on its way into the net. 1-1 in the 44th minute.

What turned the game?

Just after the restart, Ko Itakura tackled Albert Grönbaek a touch too hard on the touchline and was sent off with a second yellow card in the 49th minute. Gladbach had to play a whole half with ten men.

Hamburg made it count. Albert Lokonga found Grönbaek, who spotted Shafiq Nandja, and Nandja slotted past keeper Daniel Batz for 2-1 in the 60th minute.

Gladbach almost levelled six minutes later after a slip by Sebastiaan Bornauw, but Scally could not get the ball over the line. Grönbaek then answered in the 70th minute with his own long-range strike, a placed shot from 25 metres into the top right corner that Batz had no chance of stopping.

What's next?

For Gladbach, the shaky season start of six defeats in a row is back in focus. The signs of life against Stuttgart and in the cup against Karlsruhe now feel a long way off.

After the international break, Hamburg travel to Werder Bremen on Sunday evening (17:30 local time). Gladbach host Borussia Dortmund on Saturday afternoon (15:30).