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Post-Match Report

Postgame reactions: “That was a perfect first half”

Ole Book, Niko Kovac, Waldemar Anton and Konstantinos Karetsas discussed the 2-0 season-opener victory over HSV. Check out the postgame reactions!

Niko Kovac (on Sky): “I was hoping for a win. The way we pulled it off, especially in the first half, makes me very happy. That’s the kind of football we’re capable of playing and the kind we need to play — especially at home. It has left us wanting more. For me, what matters most is how many chances we created. That's because the more chances you have, the higher the likelihood that you’ll win games. What really saddens me is the fact Giannis (Konstantelias) got injured and that we're looking at a more serious issue. Our team doctor didn't seem too optimistic.”

Ole Book (on Sky): “The first 45 minutes were very dominant — very lively and creative by our team. Hamburg didn’t have a single scoring chance, whereas we had a lot of them. It was fun to watch. Our counter-press was strong. Kosta [Karetsas] and Giannis [Konstantelias] really enjoyed attacking alongside Serhou [Guirassy]. We played really well in the first half. We’re definitely concerned that we might be looking at a serious injury [to Konstantelias]. Testing is underway. I feel incredibly sorry for the boys because they’ve settled in well here and have made a great impact from day one.”


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Waldemar Anton (on Sky): “The first half was fantastic. It was a perfect half. We were able to execute on everything we had set out to do. We also started the second half pretty well. When you’re dominant like that, you obviously want to seal the deal. But then we struggled. That’s something we need to work on. One strong half won’t always be enough. Nonetheless, it’s also a sign of quality when you can play a man down late in a game and still win.”

Konstantinos Karetsas (on Sky): “I really enjoyed my first Bundesliga game. It was my first time playing in front of the Yellow Wall with all the fans! It was so loud. That was the best part for me today. During every significant play, we could hear the whole stadium. This is a new experience for me, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. In the end, I lacked a bit of efficiency. I should have scored. We need to work on our efficiency as a team in upcoming games as well. We need to take it one game at a time now. With our fans behind us, anything is possible.”
Compiled by Mats-Yannick Roth and Boris Rupert

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