HSV -NEC Nijmegen Preview

By: Chris | February 26th, 2009

Now that the stage has been set by some great CL matches, it’s time to get ourselves over to the real party in Euro club football. Red-headed step child or not, it’s Europa UEFA Cup time.

The Dinosaur welcome NEC Nijmegen to the ‘Bank for the 2nd leg of the first knockout stage of the UEFA Cup. It would be too easy to call Nijmegen a punching bag or patsie or some other demeaning term, but let’s call a spade a spade–HSV rightly demolished NEC a week ago in Nijmegen, to the tune of 3-0. The three away goals give Hamburg an almost insurmountable lead going into tonight’s match, particularly in light of the fact that HSV have only lost at home once this season, the 0:1 defeat to Ajax in the Group stage of the UEFA Cup.

Tonight’s match is also the 100th match HSV have played in the UEFA Cup in their history. They bring a tidy 53-17-29 record over the years, scoring 163 and conceding 102. OK, BFD.

Who’s in, who’s out

For HSV, Piotr Trochowski continues to suffer the effects of a stomach ailment that has kept him from training since Monday. His status can be best described as questionable. My guess is he’ll be on on the bench tonight. Guy (”don’t spell my name Dimmel”) Demel is hampered by a thigh bruise suffered Sunday versus Leverkusen, and I am guessing that BMJ will hold him out as well, so that he’s good to go for Sunday’s tilt with Wolfsburg. Stories abound this week about the debut of Venezuelan international Tomas Rincon tonight. Let’s hope so, I am eager to get a look at this guy. Two of the new players will not be making an appearance tonight as they are all cup tied: Mikael Tavares and Albert Streit. My last thought is whether Jol will get Jerome Boateng into the lineup tonight as he balances injuries with getting some of the reserve players action in a meaningful match. From what I understand, the “fight” between ‘Rome and Albert Streit came after some VERY contentious 6 v 6 play in which there was a great deal of contact. Boateng had been marking Streit and Streit let him know that he didn’t appreciate ‘Rome’s physical play. The shouting escalated to a little shoving and Jol had to intervene. He sent Boateng to the showers and Boateng faces a fine from the club, but Jol’s final comment was that these things happen from time to time and Boateng simply overreacted this time, as young players are wont to do. Given the injury to Demel, I think we see Boateng start at right back tonight. Here’s my go at the starting XI:

Rost

Boateng Gravgaard Mathijsen Aogo

Rincon Jarolim Alex Silva Jansen

Petric Olic

Of note for NEC, striker Tim Janssen is out with an ankle injury.

NEC starting XI (?):

Babos

Pothuizen El-Akchaoui Zomer Koenders

Radomski Davids Sibum Schone

Ntibazonkiza van Beukering

Final thought and SWAG prediction:

BMJ has been preaching to the side about not having a letdown following the huge victory over Leverkusen and the previous dismantling of NEC. That said, anything other than a victory is REALLY going to stop HSV’s considerable momentum. The way HSV are playing at the moment, it is not unreasonable (in my opinion) for them to be consider hopefuls, if not favorites, in all three competitions (DFB-Pokal, Bundesliga, UEFA Cup). Look for NEC to play fiercely and with pride, but to eventually be overwhelmed by a confident, high performing HSV. Make mine 3-1 HSV, with goals by Petric, Olic and Jarolim (I don’t know why, just a feeling). Bottoms up!