HSV sporting director Costa reacts to heavy Leipzig defeat

HSV succumbed to a heavy 5-0 defeat in Leipzig this afternoon.

HSV sporting director Claus Costa

Photo by Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images

Hamburger SV sporting director Claus Costa admitted that the 5-0 defeat to RB Leipzig was a bitter result, although he insisted there were positive aspects to the performance compared to last weekend’s heavy loss to Mainz.

HSV suffered their second consecutive 5-0 defeat on Sunday as RB Leipzig ran riot at the Red Bull Arena. The result leaves them without a point or a goal from their opening three Bundesliga matches, with a goal difference of 0:12.

“The bare result is sobering,” Costa told DAZN after the final whistle. “The way we played was different to last week.”

Costa felt HSV had made a promising start to the game, only for individual errors to put them on the back foot. Tidiam Gomis opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Antonio Nusa doubled Leipzig’s advantage 11 minutes later.

“We imagined it differently and also started the game very well. Then the first two goals came through individual errors,” Costa explained.

HSV improved after the break and briefly looked capable of mounting a response, with the visitors creating pressure and searching for a way back into the contest. However, Leipzig put the game beyond doubt with three goals in the space of six minutes late in the second half. 

“We came out of the dressing room with more pressure in the second half and had the opportunity to score the equaliser,” Costa said. “That you then concede three goals within seven minutes, that must not happen to us.”

Willi Orbán made it 3-0 in the 72nd minute before Christopher Nkunku and Rômulo completed the scoring in quick succession. 

The defeat means HSV have now conceded 12 goals without scoring in their first three games in the new Bundesliga campaign, representing the club’s worst-ever start to a Bundesliga season. 

Despite the alarming results, Costa rejected the idea of making knee-jerk decisions and called for HSV to show a different side when they host Köln next weekend.

“We don’t believe in actionism,” Costa said, while calling on the team to show “a different face” in their next Bundesliga fixture.