Fink celebrates first Hamburg success

Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink celebrated his first win in charge of the club at the fourth attempt with a 2-0 victory over Hoffenheim. Paolo Guerrero put the home team in front in the 25th minute and Marcell Jansen doubled their lead in the 65th minute. The win lifts Hamburg out of the bottom three for the first time all season as they move up to 14th, one point clear of the drop zone. After a bright start by the hosts, it was Hoffenheim who had the first real opening in the 17th minute when Sejad Salihovic sent his shot wide from ten yards out with a good sight of goal. Hoffenheim were just starting to get on top of the game when Hamburg struck. Guerrero picked up the ball from a poor clearance from Andreas Beck, and although his first shot came back off the post, he was on hand to convert the rebound and put the home team in front. Hoffenheim continued to play with confidence, though, and Ryan Babel sent a shot high and wide after being found in the area in the 41st minute. Yet they were almost punished again on the break when Guerrero's shot just cleared the crossbar on the stroke of half-time. It was a similar story in the second half with Salihovic forcing a fine save out of Jaroslav Drobny before Hamburg went up the other end of the field and made it 2-0. Jansen cut in from the left and beat Tom Starke inside his near post to put the hosts in command. Jansen almost made it three without reply in the 69th minute, but Starke made a fine reflex save to deny him.