Hamburger SV have avoided relegation from the Bundesliga for the first time in their history by claiming a 2-1 victory over Karlsruher this evening.
The club had endured a poor season in the German top flight and they finished 16th in the league table, which saw them head to the relegation playoffs.
In last week's first leg they were only able to manage a 1-1 draw with their second-division opponents and they looked to be on the verge of going down after Reinhold Yabo gave Karlsruher a 78th-minute lead.
However, Marcelo Diaz curled a free kick into the top corner in stoppage time to level the scores and send the game into extra time.
It was in the additional 30 minutes that Hamburg won the match, as Nicolai Mueller tapped in from close range to give his side the lead for the first time in the tie.
Rouwen Hennings then missed a penalty in the final minute for the hosts as Hamburg held on to maintain their status as the only team in Bundesliga history never to be relegated.
Alex Meyers
