Hamburg clinch Bundesliga return after 7 years

After 7 years of suffering, six-time German champions Hamburg SV yet clinched their instrumentality to the Bundesliga by routing Ulm 6-1 successful Germany's 2nd part connected Saturday.

Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer scored doubly and Daniel Heuer Fernandes saved a punishment arsenic Hamburg moved to the apical of the division, an unassailable 4 points wide of third-placed Elversberg with 1 circular remaining.

"We're back!" said Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin, a Hamburg autochthonal who took implicit connected an interim ground from the fired Steffen Baumgart successful November and kept going.

"When you enactment truthful overmuch enactment successful and you're rewarded, past you'll ne'er hide it," said the 34-year-old Polzin, who confirmed his declaration volition beryllium extended for the apical division.

Hamburg were the past surviving subordinate of the Bundesliga to person played each play since its enactment successful 1963, earning the nickname "der Dino," until they were yet relegated successful 2018 aft respective adjacent shaves.

The nine threatened to instrumentality each play they were distant but suffered setbacks astatine pivotal moments.

Hamburg finished 4th successful their archetypal 3 seasons successful the 2nd division. Then they were doubly third, lone to suffer the playoff against the squad that finished 3rd from bottommost successful the Bundesliga some times. They finished 4th again past season.

Hamburg needed a triumph connected Saturday to beryllium definite of finishing among the apical 2 for automatic promotion. Thousands of their fans greeted the squad autobus connected its mode to the stadium with chants, cheers, flags and flares.

They apt feared the worst again erstwhile Ulm defender Tom Gaal fired the visitors up successful the seventh minute.

But Ludovit Reis answered 3 minutes later, past Fernandes saved a penalty, and the location squad struck doubly earlier the interval done Königsdörffer and Davie Selke.

The adjacent extremity confirmed it was Hamburg's nighttime with Ulm goalkeeper Niclas Thiede fumbling a harmless looking transverse against his ain defender, Philipp Strompf, to deflect it in.

Königsdörffer grabbed his 2nd successful the 62nd to banish immoderate past lingering doubts among the Hamburg fans, and Daniel Elfadli completed the rout.

While Ulm were relegated to the 3rd division, thousands of Hamburg fans stormed the tract to observe their team's promotion.

Information from The Associated Press was utilized successful this report.