Hamburg's extraordinary Bundesliga turnaround continued on Saturday afternoon as Miro Muheim scored another spectacular late winner to secure a 1-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart. The 28-year-old Swiss international produced his second consecutive match-winning strike from distance, helping Merlin Polzin's injury-hit side claim their third straight league victory after a disastrous opening to the season.
The remarkable run has transformed Hamburger SV's early-season fortunes. Having conceded twelve unanswered goals in their first three Bundesliga fixtures, the Hanseaten have now taken maximum points from their subsequent three matches. The latest victory came despite the absence of captain Nicolai Remberg , further midfield and attacking injuries, and substantial Stuttgart dominance.
For the visitors, there was also an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu. Hamburg had defeated Stuttgart with another dramatic late winner at the Volksparkstadion last November . VfB head coach Sebastian Hoeneß made special reference to his side's last defeat away at the Hanseatic city-state club at the post-match press conference.
Stuttgart controlled large portions of Saturday's encounter. Sebastian Hoeneß's team enjoyed approximately 66 percent possession and outshot their hosts 24-14, yet failed to convert their superiority into goals.
Hamburg were not entirely without chances of their own. Yussuf Poulsen struck the crossbar shortly after halftime, while Fábio Vieira and Sebastiaan Bornauw threatened during the opening period.
The hosts nevertheless appeared increasingly content to preserve a goalless draw as the match approached its conclusion. Stuttgart continued to push forward, only to find themselves caught out by another piece of Muheim magic in the 88th minute.
Substitutes Albert Grønbaek and Zakaria El Ouahdi combined to advance the ball before the latter laid it off to Muheim. The Swiss international unleashed a thunderous left-footed effort from approximately 25 meters, sending the ball into the top corner.
Stuttgart head coach Hoeneß could scarcely believe that Muheim had produced another decisive strike.
"We shouldn't have allowed the counter to develop," Stuttgart trainer Sebastian Hoeneß noted at the post-match press conference. "And yet, I have to say, the fact that Miro Muheim – who scored such a lovely goal last week – did it again today from 27 meters out is astonishing. I know that he has a strong shot, but that's not something that happens very often. At the moment, these moments seem to be happening for the HSV, especially at home against us."
Muheim's emergence as Hamburg's latest hero is particularly remarkable considering his difficult start to the new campaign. The Swiss international entered the season facing considerable competition for his customary position on the left. His World Cup involvement and subsequent adductor problems had already opened the door for 16-year-old Louis Lemke to make an enormous impression during preseason.
As Get German Football News' comprehensive HSV tactical preview detailed, Lemke accumulated more minutes than any other Hamburg player during summer preparation. The arrival of David Møller Wolfe provided another option on the left, leaving Muheim facing a significant battle for playing time. Indeed, Muheim did not make his first Bundesliga appearance of the campaign until last weekend's trip to Hoffenheim.
Even that opportunity arose under deeply unfortunate circumstances. Hamburg captain Nicolai Remberg was forced off with a serious knee injury in the 41st minute , requiring Polzin to reorganize his team. Muheim entered the contest as a midfielder and eventually played a decisive role in Hamburg's comeback from 2-1 down.
The Swiss wingback delivered the cross from which Terem Moffi headed home the equalizer in the 83rd minute. He then completed the turnaround himself with a brilliant long-range winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Muheim was rewarded with his first Bundesliga start of the season against Stuttgart.
The 28-year-old again found himself operating outside his customary position, joining Bilal Nadir in central midfield as Polzin sought solutions to the absences of Remberg and Albert Sambi Lokonga. The makeshift arrangement ultimately produced another unforgettable result.
Asked by Sky Germanyhow Hamburg had managed to recover from their catastrophic opening three matchdays, Muheim emphasized the importance of maintaining composure.
"We simply remained calm," Muheim told Sky Germany. "We kept working at it in training. We kept focused on the facts and didn't let ourselves be driven by emotions or outside talk. That's how we got better as a team."
Muheim's remarks closely reflected the message that Polzin has been delivering throughout the season. Hamburg's opening three Bundesliga matches could scarcely have gone worse. A 2-0 defeat away at Borussia Dortmund was followed by consecutive 5-0 humiliations against Mainz and RB Leipzig. After three matchdays, the newly assembled squad remained without a point, without a goal, and with a goal difference of minus twelve.
Following the humiliating home defeat to Mainz , Polzin openly acknowledged the scale of his team's problems and accepted responsibility for his personnel decisions. One week later, however, the Hamburg trainer insisted that tangible progress had been evident against Leipzig , even after watching his team concede another five goals.
Polzin's arguments were understandably difficult to accept at face value. Yet the 35-year-old remained adamant that abandoning the team's methods would only compound its difficulties. The club's leadership shared his conviction. Hamburg extended Polzin's contract immediately before the Matchday 4 encounter against Köln, an emphatic vote of confidence in a coach whose team had yet to collect a single point.
The decision was quickly vindicated.
Hamburg defeated Köln 2-1 at the Volksparkstadion to claim their first league goals and points of the season. Another 3-2 victory away at Hoffenheim followed before Saturday's success against Stuttgart completed a remarkable sequence of three consecutive wins.
Polzin was understandably eager to emphasize that his original message had never changed.
"I always said that we as a team, a coaching staff and a club needed to remain convinced of our process," Polzin said when asked about his team's turnaround. "That we needed to ride through good times and bad, always focusing on what we can control. We've remained committed and it will continue to be our job to remain so as we prepare for the next game."
The latest victory carries additional significance given the injuries that have threatened to derail Hamburg's recent progress. Remberg's withdrawal against Hoffenheim initially appeared serious enough to prompt fears of a cruciate ligament injury. Those fears were subsequently confirmed.
The 26-year-old HSV captain suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and underwent surgery in London. He faces a lengthy period on the sidelines. Remberg has become one of the most important figures in Polzin's squad since arriving from Holstein Kiel in the summer of 2025. His aggression in the tackle, relentless work rate, and leadership qualities have made him central to the team's development.
Hamburg's players paid tribute to their absent captain before Saturday's match, warming up in shirts bearing his name and number 21. The problems were not confined to Remberg. Sambi Lokonga's muscular difficulties deprived Polzin of another established central midfielder, forcing the coach to deploy Muheim and Nadir together in an improvised partnership.
The attacking department was also operating without its full complement of players. Summer arrival Patson Daka, whose pace and movement had promised to add a new dimension to Hamburg's forward play, remained sidelined with a thigh muscle injury. Experienced wide player Bakery Jatta was also unavailable.
Polzin nevertheless had attacking alternatives at his disposal. Poulsen started as the central striker, while Moffi and promising youngster Otto Stange were available from the bench. Grønbaek, recently troubled by muscular problems himself, also returned to the matchday squad.
The substitutions ultimately played a decisive role.
Grønbaek and El Ouahdi were both introduced in the 78th minute. Ten minutes later, they combined to create Muheim's winner, providing another demonstration of Polzin's ability to influence matches through changes from the bench.
The coach highlighted precisely that point afterward.
"The Volkspark is definitely a factor," Polzin noted at the post-match press conference. "But it's also a factor that we influenced the game positively from the bench again and with all the absences, especially the absence of Rambo [Remberg], we still had the power and confidence to move forward in the Bundesliga. That makes me very proud."
