Tight win for Hannover

Hamburg rode their luck to end the week with seven points from three games thanks to a tight 1-0 win over Hannover.

Hamburg rode their luck to end the week with seven points from three games thanks to a tight 1-0 win over northern Germany rivals Hannover. The home side managed only two shots on goal over the 90 minutes but one of them, from Artjoms Rudnevs, landed in the back of the net in the 20th minute and that made the difference. Hannover wasted a hatful of chances and left the HSV-Arena puzzled and empty-handed. Szabolcs Huszti's threat from set pieces is already well known, but that does not make it any easier to defend against him. The Hungarian has had a hand in nine of Hannover's last 10 goals, and he created the first chance in the ninth minute from a corner which was headed goalwards by Karim Haggui and cleared off the line by Rene Adler. Hamburg were then gifted the lead in the 20th minute. A poor clearance from Ron Robert Zieler fell to the opposition, and when the ball was moved on to Rafael van der Vaart, he sent Rudnevs through to provide the finishing touch. Hannover tried to respond, but the more they risked, the more room they left for Hamburg to hit the on the break. The Reds still created a few chances to equalise with Huszti's next corner met by the head of Didier Ya Konan, but Adler made the save once again. Sergio Pinto's dangerous low cross in the 45th minute was flicked away by the foot of Rene Adler with no Hannover striker coming in at the far post to pick up the cross. Hamburg had a great chance to make it two early in the second half but Zieler denied Rudnevs, who was clean through. Hannover's third effort on goal came on the hour mark with Steven Cherundolo's cross volleyed acrobatically by Ya Konan, but just an inch wide of the left-hand post. The visitors continued to pose the greatest threat with Mohammed Abdellaoue lifting the ball over the crossbar after a free-kick was deflected into his path and then Lars Stindl lifted a shot over Adler only for the defence to clear on the line. Abdellaoue then missed another chance to pull Hannover level before Adler made yet another fine reflex save to deny Ya Konan.