Germany

Olic And Petric Sweep Hamburg Past Aston Villa

Both sides were going through regardless of the result at the Nordbank Arena, but it was Martin Jol's side that exercised their dominance to claim third place in Uefa Cup Group F...
Hamburger SV 3-1 Aston Villa

Dec 17, 2008 2:41:43 PM

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Martin O'Neill - Aston Villa (PA)

Teams

Despite a spirited late surge, and a Nathan Delfouenso consolation, Aston Villa were convincingly outclassed by Hamburg in a largely one-sided encounter.

The host's front-two took the English team's defence asunder all night, with Ivica Olic bagging a brace and his partner-in-goals Mladen Petric claiming one.

Martin O'Neill's shadow side are some way from the standard displayed in his first team, but Hamburg head into the winter break on the back of a fine result over their fourth-placed Premier League counterparts.

First Half

There was an air of inevitability that the cohesion and fluency of Ivica Olic and the imperious Mladen Petric would deeply unsettle Zat Knight and Carlos Cuellar, and the sheer ability of the Croat pair cut an incisive wound in the heart of the Aston Villa backline in the first half.

Time and again, the pair's understanding of one and other's habits caused confusion and panic in the rearguard of the English side and indeed, each registered a strike before the oranges.

It took Hamburg well over a quarter hour to settle, but they struck a decisive first blow on 17 minutes.

Clearing a rare Aston Villa attack, the Rothosen countered; a long pass from midfield found the run of Petric, who had left Luke Young ten yards in his wake. The 27-year-old took one surefooted touch to leave him with the chance to dispatch a left-footed drive past the helpless Brad Guzan.

A similar scenario occured seconds later with Olic on the receiving end as another warning for Martin O'Neill's side, but his attempt ran aground before Petric forced a corner.

The support cast was equally dominant for the hosts with Marcel Jansen and Collin Benjamin excelling in centre midfield; Indeed, Petric found Jansen wide on the left for the build up to the second.

The German international laid off for Dennis Aogo to cross precisely. From there, on 29 minutes, Olic beat Cuellar in the air to head Hamburg into a deserved 2-0 lead.

Craig Gardner had a good volleyed chance to bring his side back into the match but he spurned it past the half-hour mark, and Jansen went within millimetres of adding a third before the interval.

After weaving his way from midfield into space, he unleashed a rasping drive that cannoned back off Guzan's crossbar and away from harm.

Second Half

As in the first half, it took the second period some time to spring to life; but when it did, it fatally damaged Aston Villa in controversial circumstances.

At the Hamburg end, Luke Young crossed and Frank Rost met the sliding Craig Gardner with his studs in the six-yard area.

No decision was forthcoming with regard to a penalty however, and Mathijsen cleared accurately into the path of the sprinting Olic at the opposite end.

His pace took him clear of Cuellar again, and after the Spanish grabbed a chunk of the forward's shirt, hammered home a third.

Martin O'Neill was aggrevied that no penalty came for his side, even more so when Gardner's evening was ended due to Rost's dubious intervention.

Piotr Trochowski threatened a third, as Villa's moment of level-footing with the hosts at the start of the second half crumbled.

Nigel Reo-Coker then went close with a drive as Hamburg eased up midway through the half and Marcel Jansen forced Guzan into action after Petric prompted at the business end for the Dino.

There was life left in the encounter as the game wound down however, and Aston Villa plundered an unlikely consolation with a late rally.

A Carlos Cuellar cross was manipulated onto the target and past the sprawling Rost by Nathan Delfouenso inside a crowded Hamburg area, but Steve Sidwell's late second yellow left the Villans with a numerical disadvantage.

Marlon Harewood did squander a late chance after a goalmouth scramble as the game edged past the 90 mark to give the hosts food for thought, but they rode out the storm to give themselves top spot in the group, with David Jarolim even threatening to add a fourth with an impish lob that landed on the top of the crossbar.

Man Of The Match: Ivica Olic (Hamburger SV)

Line Ups

Hamburger SV: Rost - Boateng, Reinhardt, Mathijsen, Aogo - Benjamin, Trochowski, Jansen, Jarolim (Ben Hatira 90') - Olic (Guerrero 65'), Petric (Thiago Neves 78')

Aston Villa: Guzan - L Young, Cuellar, Knight, Shorey - Salifou, Reo-Coker, Sidwell - Delfouenso, Gardner (Bannan 60'), Harewood

Goals:

Hamburger SV: Petric 17', Olic 29' 55'

Aston Villa: Delfouenso 82'

Cards:

Hamburger SV: Mathijsen 31'

Aston Villa: Knight 49', Sidwell 64' 82' (SENT OFF)

Peter Staunton, Goal.com

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