Hamburger SV 3-1 Anderlecht: Dominant Hosts Brush Belgians Aside

The hosts started the game the better of the two teams, surging forward quickly and asking some early questions of their visitors. Ruud van Nistelrooy was unlucky not to be awarded a free kick just two minutes into the game as he was dragged to the ground on the edge of the box, the referee missing the inherent foul in the challenge.

Striking prodigy Romelu Lukaku enjoyed some early service in the match, the 16-year-old Belgian first-team international swiftly registering a shot on target from the edge of the box. The forward's big stature ensured that his presence at the head of Anderlecht's attack would be well known throughout.

However, it was definitely Hamburg's game as the match settled down, the home side dominating the possession and earning the better chances.

HSV's quality play soon earned them a deserved lead. After a poor clearance from a Hamburg free kick, Joris Mathijsen found himself onside with the ball at his feet and unmarked just outside the six-yard box. The big centre-back made no mistake from close range, finishing coolly past Silvio Proto.

It quickly became apparent that Eljero Elia's link-up play with Mladen Petric and Van Nistelrooy were going to cause the visitors problems as the game ticked past the half-hour mark. And, after a few nicely worked chances, the trio's persistence paid off.

A header from Petric found Elia close to the byline, the Dutch winger sliding the ball into the path of his fellow countryman. Van Nistelrooy then poked the ball past Proto at his front post from a very tight angle. An experienced finish from a veteran hitman had put the hosts two goals up.

With Lukaku's supply seemingly drying up, it became obvious that Anderlecht would have to come up with a reply through a less direct method. And after David Rozenhal fouled Argentine Lucas Biglia 25 yards from goal, they managed to clutch one back through the set-piece.

Jonathan Legear stepped over the ball, striking it sweetly and curling it right past Frank Rost into the 'keeper's top left corner, leaving the glovesman with no chance. The referee soon offered the visitors further respite, whistling for half-time after the ball hit the net, thus allowing the Belgians to end the half with a bit more confidence.

Bruno Labbadia's side clearly didn't want to allow the visitors to start the second half with any gusto, the hosts pushing hard from the outset. Marcel Jansen quickly shot off down the left with a decent run, but his final ball was lacking in quality as Van Nistelrooy was left standing waiting for the cross.

Just as the game looked like it was slowing down, with both teams looking happy to strike from distance, the match began to heat up again.

After a brief scuffle in the Anderlecht box, the ball finally found its way to Van Nistelrooy's feet, who could not miss from such close range. The cultured Dutchman easily found the net, but the goal was erased as he had been ruled offside. However, this quickly sparked some end-to-end football.

Van Nistelrooy drifted out to the right and managed to dig out a wonderful waist-height cross straight across the goalline. The striker looked bemused at the lack of interest in his square ball, while the Belgians breathed a sigh of relief and took off down the opposite end.

Petric then piped up again, striking with real venom twice in five minutes from distance. The Croatian's strikes were good, but not good enough to beat the capable hands of Proto.

The consistent pressure by the home side paid off once again, as a failure to clear a cross from Petric allowed David Jarolim to gallop forward onto the loose ball and fizz a low shot into Proto's right hand corner. Hamburg had taken the score to a more advantageous 3-1.

Ariel Jacobs threw Argentine forward Matias Suarez into the mix as the game entered the dying stages, and the 21-year-old made a clear impact after replacing the toothless Kanu. Striking with serious intent from the edge of the box, the striker's shot was well blocked, but it raised questions on whether the game would be different if he had started.

Marcel Jansen had a golden opportunity to wrap the tie up right at the death, but the German international tried to be too clever by chipping Proto, finishing wide and infuriating an onrushing van Nistlerooy.

With the whistle all but blown, Legear was still playing as hard as ever to carve his side out another few opportunities, even trying from range himself. But it was not to be for the creative winger, as the ref called the match three minutes into injury time, seeing Hamburg look ahead to their trip to Belgium with wide grins on their faces.