Former European champions and three-times Bundesliga winners Hamburg retained their place in Germany’s top division after coming out on top against second division Gruether Fuerth thanks to their away goal in a 1-1 second-leg play-off draw yesterday.

Hamburg, the only club never to have been relegated since the creation of the Bundesliga in 1963, got the golden goal through forward Pierre-Michel Lasogga in the 14th minute after the goalless first leg on Thursday.

The visitors, without an away win in seven months, brought the game to life when Hakan Calha-noglu rattled the post and Marcell Jansen had his rebound saved by keeper Wolfgang Hesl.

Lasogga, who returned from injury just in time for the play-off games, made the most of the resulting corner, rising high to drill in a header.

The 22-year-old, who missed out on a Germany call-up due to his injury, almost doubled the lead early in the second half with a point-blank header but it was Fuerth who scored on the hour when Stephan Fuerstner slid in to equalise.

The scene was set for a nervous final half hour and it proved to be just that with Hamburg hanging on for the draw they needed to stay in the Bundesliga and Fuerth desperate for a second.

Hamburg held on, running out the clock to end a disastrous season on a high.

Eintracht Braunschweig and Nuremberg were relegated with Cologne and Paderborn securing automatic promotion from the second division.