Mavropanos is at full stretch to meet Pfeiffer's back-post cross, but can't steer it on target. Hamburg can count themselves very fortunate this is stilll only 3-0, with three added minutes to go.

As things stand, Hamburg need to score at least three goals when the two sides meet at the Volksparkstadion. Otherwise, it'll be a sixth straight season in the second tier for the Red Shorts...

No changes from either side. Can Stuttgart extend their lead, or will Hamburg stage a fightback in keeping with the roller-coaster 2022/23 campaign?

Better from Hamburg as Dompe combines with Jatta. He helps it on to Kittel, who gets to the by-line before overhitting his attempted cross. Walter applauds the idea.

The stadium has gone wild! Führich led an attack in the opening seconds and won a corner, which was sent into the middle of the box where Mavropanos powered an unstoppable header into the top right corner!

Two proud clubs and former Bundesliga champions lock horns - with just one spot in the 2023/24 Bundesliga up for grabs over two legs. And Stuttgart have scored in the opening seconds, incredible!

As mentioned earlier, the stadium pauses to mark the sad passing of a Berlin youth footballer in recent days.

What an atmosphere there is bubbling tonight on this splendid summer's evening in Stuttgart! The sell-out home crowd desperately want to give their side an extra push.

An interesting note on the teams. Hamburg's starting line-up comes in at an average age of 27.3. Tim Walter has never selected an older team in his time as Hamburg coach. Stuttgart average a slightly younger 25.5. We shall see if the wisdom of experience or youthful verve wins the day!

Enzo Millot replaces Silas in one of two changes to the Stuttgart team that drew with Hoffenheim at the weekend. Florian Müller is also recalled in goal, with Fabian Bredlow out injured. As for HSV, Ludovit Reis and Bakery Jatta go straight back into the side following suspension. Laszlo Benes (injured) and Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer make way.

Müller - Mavropanos, Anton, Ito - Vagnoman, Karazor, Endo (c), Sosa - Millot, Guirassy, Führich

Selmen, Stenzel, Zagadou, Coulibaly, Egloff, Nartey, Tomas, Silas, Pfeiffer

Heuer Fernandes - Heyer, David, Schonlau (c), Muheim - Meffert, Kittel, Reis - Jatta, Glatzel, Dompe

Raab, Mikelbrencis, Montero, Kisilowski, Bilbija, Suhonen, Heil, Krahn, Königsdörffer

The Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) will pay tribute to the 15-year-old killed at a youth tournament in Frankfurt am Main, before kick-off in the first leg of the Bundesliga promotion/ relegation play-off between VfB Stuttgart and Hamburg. There will be a minute's silence in the stadium, the DFL announced on Thursday. The young footballer from JFC Berlin was critically injured last Sunday in an assault by an opponent, and died on Wednesday. The alleged perpetrator, a 16-year-old from France, is said to have struck the victim on the head from behind. He is in custody and, according to his club FC Metz, denies having intentionally injured the boy.

The play-off has often seen a plucky underdog from the second division take on a big boy from the top flight, but this year sees two genuine giants of the German game face off. Stuttgart and Hamburg are both three-time Bundesliga champions and bring incredible levels of support with them. The question is whether Bundesliga football will be played at the 57,000-capacity Volksparkstadion or the 60,000 of the Mercedes-Benz Arena next season.

In the first iteration of the play-off between 1982 and 1991, a third deciding game was used to determine the winner in the case of a draw over two legs. From the reintroduction in 2008 and up to 2020, the away-goals rule was used if needed – as it was three times, with HSV benefitting in 2014 against Fürth, Union against Stuttgart in 2019 and Werder Bremen against Heidenheim the following year. That rule no longer applies, meaning if it’s level on aggregate we go to extra-time and, if still required, penalties to determine the winner.

This is Hamburg’s fourth appearance in the play-off, which is the most of any club. Their first two were as a Bundesliga side fighting to stay up, first prevailing against Greuther Fürth in 2014 and then against Karlsruhe the next year. They were back again last season, this time as a second division team trying to come up but lost to Hertha.

Since Fortuna Düsseldorf won 2-1 against Hertha Berlin in 2012 and ultimately gained promotion, the respective Bundesliga 2 club has only managed two more victories in play-off ties. Those were Holstein Kiel against Cologne in 2021 (1-0 but lost second leg 5-1) and Hamburg last year against Hertha (also 1-0 and also lost second leg 2-0).

There have been 24 previous editions of the play-off to determine the final place in the following Bundesliga season, with this the 15th year in a row since it was permanently re-introduced in 2008/09. So far, the top-flight club has retained its status in 18 out of 24 seasons, with the second division team only coming up six times.