Olić sees Hamburg home against Nijmegen

Hamburger SV coasted into the UEFA Cup Round of 16, finishing the job with a straightforward home win over their Dutch opponents after doing all the hard work in the Netherlands last week.

Sealing victory
Croatia striker Ivica Olić, who also scored in the first leg, made sure of victory in the last-32 tie with a ninth-minute goal for the Bundesliga leaders. In rainy and chilly conditions, Hamburg coach Martin Jol experimented with his lineup, giving winter acquisition Tomás Rincón a starting place in midfield. Nijmegen had the first chance in the eighth minute through Mostapha El Kabir, but the hosts wasted little time taking a 4-0 lead on aggregate with Olić's strike.

Olić strikes
David Jarolím stole the ball deep in NEC territory and fed Olić inside the area, enabling the forward to blast in at the near post from ten metres. Hamburg nearly made it 2-0 five minutes later when Marcell Jansen picked out Olić, whose shot from inside the box hit the far post and flew out of play. The German side continued their shooting practice and Jansen gave a fine ball to Mladen Petrić whose effort whistled just past the far post after 33 minutes. Nijmegen refused to give up, though, and Hamburg keeper Frank Rost made a stop from Patrick Pothuizen's header a minute before El Kabir rattled the far post with a 20-metre attempt.

Closing flurry
Nijmegen pushed forward in the closing stages of the game, with Rost tipping Saidi Ntibazonkiza's header over the bar and El Kabir hitting the upright again in the 85th minute. Hamburg matched Nijmegen a minute later with Jonathan Pitroipa chipping José Paolo Guerrero's pass on to the crossbar from close range, but their place in the last 16 against Galatasaray AŞ had already been assured.