Hamburger SV finally returns to Bundesliga after seven seasons in second division

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — After seven years of suffering, Hamburger SV finally clinched its return to the Bundesliga by routing Ulm 6-1 in Germany’s second division on Saturday.

Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer scored twice and Daniel Heuer Fernandes saved a penalty as Hamburg moved to the top of the division, an unassailable four points clear of third-placed Elversberg with one round remaining.

“We're back!” said Hamburg coach Merlin Polzin, a Hamburg native who took over on an interim basis from the fired Steffen Baumgart in November and kept going.

"When you put so much work in and you're rewarded, then you'll never forget it," said the 34-year-old Polzin, who confirmed his contract will be extended for the top division.

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.

The club threatened to return every season it was away but suffered setbacks at pivotal moments.

Hamburg finished fourth in its first three seasons in the second division. Then it was twice third, only to lose the playoff against the team that finished third from bottom in the Bundesliga both times. It finished fourth again last season.

Hamburg needed a win on Saturday to be sure of finishing among the top two for automatic promotion. Thousands of its fans greeted the team bus on its way to the stadium with chants, cheers, flags and flares.

They likely feared the worst again when Ulm defender Tom Gaal fired the visitor ahead in the seventh minute.

But Ludovit Reis answered three minutes later, then Fernandes saved a penalty, and the home team struck twice before the interval through Königsdörffer and Davie Selke.

The next goal confirmed it was Hamburg’s night with Ulm goalkeeper Niclas Thiede fumbling a harmless looking cross against his own defender, Philipp Strompf, to deflect it in.

Königsdörffer grabbed his second in the 62nd to banish any last lingering doubts among the Hamburg fans, and Daniel Elfadli completed the rout.

While Ulm was relegated to the third division, thousands of Hamburg fans stormed the field to celebrate their team's promotion.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Hamburg fans storm the pitch after the match and celebrate promotion following a Bundesliga 2 soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Marcus Brandt/dpa via AP)

Hamburg's players and fans celebrate after scoring their fifth goal during a Bundesliga 2 soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Hamburg fans storm the pitch after the match to celebrate promotion following a Bundesliga 2 soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Marcus Brandt/dpa via AP)

Hamburg goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes celebrates with fans who stormed the pitch to celebrate promotion following a Bundesliga 2 soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Marcus Brandt/dpa via AP)

Hamburg's Davie Selke, center, scores a goal to make it 3:1 during the soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Hamburg's Davie Selke, center, fights for the ball against Ulm's Max Brandt, left, and Ulm's Tom Gaal during the soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

Hamburg's Ransford Königsdörffer celebrates his goal during a Bundesliga 2 soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Marcus Brandt/dpa via AP)

Hamburg's Davie Selke celebrates his goal during a Bundesliga 2 soccer game between Hamburger SV and SSV Ulm 1846 in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)