Hamburger 1 - 1 Monchengladbach - Late Hrgota header denies HSV win

Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by PA

Borussia Monchengladbach snatched a last-gasp equaliser at Hamburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday to maintain their two-point advantage over fourth-placed Schalke.

Zoltan Stieber gave the hosts the lead in the 75th minute, but it was not enough to see Josef Zinnbauer's men through to a much-needed victory.

Branimir Hrgota made it 1-1 with a stoppage-time header to leave HSV still just two points above the relegation zone - the same gap Gladbach have over Schalke in the race for a guaranteed place in the Champions League next season.

With the teams immediately below them all having drawn on Saturday, Gladbach knew a win would have given them a cushion in the race for a place in the top three, and Patrick Herrmann nearly gave them the lead early on when his volley hit the post.

It was symptomatic of the misfortune Lucien Favre's men have endured recently, although that also struck Hamburg when Ivica Olic was forced to limp out of the action in the 25th minute.

He had not even had a chance to make an impact on the game, with Gladbach keeping most of the possession and doing most of the attacking, albeit without creating many clear-cut chances.

Early in the second half, Andre Hahn side-footed a free shot wide from eight yards out with Ibrahima Traore also well placed behind him.

Hamburg did not seem too troubled about being forced to defend in their own stadium, and they showed why in the 73rd minute when they broke quickly to take the lead.

Artjoms Rudnevs set up Stieber and the Gladbach defence just stood off and invited him to pick his spot in the far corner, and he found it with a curling left-footed effort.

With tiredness in their legs from Thursday night's Europa League exertions, Gladbach struggled to summon a reaction and Stieber nearly added a second with an overhead-kick late on.

Max Kruse was then presented with the chance to equalise in stoppage time, but he shot straight at Jaroslav Drobny, who clutched the ball tightly.

There was to be one further chance for Gladbach, though, and they took it with Hrgota heading in a corner from six yards to snatch a point for the Foals.