Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira scored a penalty to help Hamburger SV to an unexpected draw against Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Going into Saturday’s game against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, most people probably didn’t give hosts Hamburger SV much of a chance.
HSV sat just four points clear of the relegation zone pre-game, whilst Bayern had only dropped points in three of their first 19 matches of the season – two draws and one defeat.
Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira was named in the starting lineup alongside former Gunner Albert Sambi Lokonga, and they ended up helping their team add a fourth result to that list.
In the 31st minute, HSV’s Nicolai Remberg was brought down in the penalty area, with Vieira stepping up to take the resulting spot-kick against Manuel Neuer.
Neuer guessed the right way, but Vieira slotted his penalty perfectly into the bottom corner beyond the goalkeeper’s reach for 1-0.
Bayern hit back, with Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scoring either side of half-time for 2-1. But a header from Luka Vuskovic in the 53rd minute got HSV level again.
Vieira had a chance to win the match late on, after an ill-advised charge out of goal left Neuer stranded and lobbed by Rayan Philippe. Vieira received the lobbed pass and tried to finish the chance first time, but Alphonso Davies made a last-ditch block on the line to keep it at 2-2.
Despite the missed opportunity to grab a shock winner, HSV will be very pleased to have picked up a point against the runaway German league leaders, just days after Bayern also secured a top-two finish in the Champions League’s League Phase.
Vieira’s loan spell began with a couple of unfortunate red cards to disrupt his momentum at HSV, but he’s now racked up two goals and four assists in 16 appearances from midfield and right-wing.
Four of those six goal contributions turned draws into wins, and Saturday’s penalty ultimately earned HSV a point.
That’s a significant impact playing for a team flirting with relegation, and they’ll hope it continues.