Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer was the hero at the Volksparkstadion as his clinical brace steered Hamburger SV to a 3-2 win over Union Berlin in a breathless Bundesliga encounter.
The Ghanaian international proved the difference in front of a capacity crowd in Hamburg, scoring in both halves to ensure the hosts walked away with all three points despite a late Union fightback.
The match ignited early when Leopold Querfeld silenced the home support, converting a clinical penalty to hand Union Berlin an early lead. However, the setback only served to sharpen Hamburg’s resolve.
The equaliser arrived in the 35th minute through a moment of pure predatory instinct. Robert Glatzel found space out wide and pulled a sharp ball back into the path of Königsdörffer, who timed his burst into the box to perfection to sweep the ball home.
The momentum shifted entirely before the interval. Just minutes before the referee blew for half-time, Nicolas Capaldo completed the turnaround.
Finishing off a slick, flowing team move orchestrated by Bakery Jatta, Capaldo fired the hosts into a 2-1 lead, sending the Volksparkstadion into raptures.
Union Berlin emerged from the tunnel with renewed aggression, pinning the hosts back for large spells of the second half.
Yet, HSV remained a constant threat on the counter-attack, using their pace to exploit the gaps left by the visiting side.
The decisive blow landed eight minutes from time. Giorgi Gocholeishvili carved open the Union defence with a clever, weighted pass, allowing Königsdörffer to race clear.
The 24-year-old kept his composure to slot past the goalkeeper, notch his second of the afternoon, and seemingly put the game out of reach at 3-1.
There was still time for late drama, however, as Andrej Ilic powered home a header in the dying embers of the match to set up a frantic finish. Despite the mounting pressure, the Hamburg backline held firm to secure a vital victory.
The forward is enjoying an increasingly influential campaign in the 2025/2026 Bundesliga season.
His double today takes his tally to four goals and one assist in 21 appearances, underlining his growing importance to the HSV attack.
The win provides a significant boost for Merlin Polzin’s side as they look to climb the table.
Hamburg will look to carry this momentum into their next fixture, a Friday night trip to face Mainz 05 on 20 February.
