(GSM) – Hamburg squeaked into the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday as they beat Anderlecht 6-5 on aggregate despite losing the second leg 4-3 in Belgium.
Hamburg extended their lead in the tie by scoring the opener on 42 minutes through Jerome Boateng’s powerful drive, but a late run in the half by Anderlecht kept the tie close.
Romelu Lukaku nodded Mbark Boussoufa’s cross home in the 44th minute to make the aggregate score 4-2, and Matías Suárez reduced it further with a penalty deep into added time.
Hamburg, though, levelled the match at 2-2 and extended their aggregate lead to 5-3 on 54 minutes when Marcell Jansen fired home a misdirected pass by Mladen Petric.
Lucas Biglia pulled Anderlecht a goal close in the 59th minute after a fine cross by Jelle van Damme, and they aggregate score was level at 5-5 seven minutes later when Boussoufa put in off of Lukaku’s cross.
Still ahead on away goals, Hamburg held firm and scored the winning goal on 75 minutes when Petric tucked home David Jarolim’s cross.
