HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Hertha Berlin took its final chance to clinch Bundesliga survival by winning at Hamburger SV 2-0 in the second leg of their relegation-promotion playoff on Monday.
Goals from Hertha captain Dedryck Boyata and Marvin Plattenhardt in each half overturned Ludovit Reis’ winner for Hamburg in the first leg and ensured Hertha remained in the top division by winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Hamburg will have to wait to realize its dream of returning to the Bundesliga following its relegation in 2018. It finished fourth in the second division in each of the three seasons afterward, then third this season to reach the playoff against the team that finished third from bottom in the Bundesliga – Hertha.
Some 49,000 Hamburg fans expected their team to complete the job on Monday but instead it was the 6,000 Hertha fans who were celebrating at Hamburg’s sold-out Volksparkstadion.
Their gratitude went largely to Felix Magath, a former Hamburg club heron who was appointed Hertha coach in March to steer the club away from relegation. He completed the job against his former team and maintained his record of never being relegated from the Bundesliga.
Despite the loss, Hamburg’s supporters set off pyrotechnics and thanked the team for its efforts. Tim Walter’s players had won their previous five games including the first leg playoff.
“We’re HSV, we want to get out of this division,” Hamburg sporting director Jonas Boldt said, already looking to next season.
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Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP
