BERLIN: Hamburger SV returned from a seven-year absence and emerged from its first game back in the Bundesliga with a 0-0 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The promoted side spent much of Sunday’s game defending, with goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes diving well to deny Gladbach captain Rocco Reitz among other saves.
“We knew we were coming up against a strong team that would have many people in midfield, so we kept it tight in the center and tried to hit on counterattacks,” Heuer Fernandes said. “Of course you never know where you stand after such a (difficult) pre-season, but I think everyone saw today how we can take on the league and that’s exactly how it should go.”
Hamburg substitutes Jean-Luc Dompé and Yussuf Poulsen increased their team’s attacking threat for the last 15 minutes. William Mikelbrencis, another substitute, thought he’d scored a late winner but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Hamburg was the last surviving member of the Bundesliga to have played every season since its formation in 1963, earning the nickname “der Dino,” until it was finally relegated in 2018 after several close shaves.
Hamburg next faces city rival St. Pauli for a derby at home next Friday.
Gladbach signed Gio Reyna from Borussia Dortmund on Saturday but the American wasn’t included in the squad.
Cologne’s successful return
Cologne marked its return as second-division champion with a 1-0 win at Mainz, which had Paul Nebel sent off on the hour-mark for a tactical foul to stop Jakub Kaminski. Kaminski would have been through on goal.
The sending off provided encouragement for Cologne, which had been primarily defending up to then, and Kaminski’s strike partner Marius Bülter headed the winner in the final minute.
“The whole 90 minutes were wild,” Cologne coach Lukas Kwasniok said after his Bundesliga debut. “It wasn’t a culinary delight from a footballing point of view.”
Hamburg celebrates Bundesliga return with goalless draw at Gladbach
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Hamburg celebrates Bundesliga return with goalless draw at Gladbach
- Hamburg next faces city rival St. Pauli for a derby at home next Friday
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
