Hamburg took a huge step towards the last 16 of the UEFA Cup with a comfortable victory against NEC Nijmegen at De Goffert.
Two goals in the last five minutes of the first half from Piotr Trochowski and Alex Silva made life very tough for NEC.
And Croatia forward Ivica Olic added a third with 15 minutes to go to give Martin Jol's side a very healthy advantage with the home leg to come next week.
The Germans started the better and Olic in particular was making a nuisance of himself, his 20th-minute cross was headed over by Czech midfielder David Jarolim.
Seconds later the Bundesliga side threatened again, this time Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen going close against his fellow countrymen with a header wide from Marcell Jansen's cross.
NEC responded positively with Patrick Pothuizen's close-range effort drawing a smart block from Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost before Arek Radomski blasted a shot from outside the box over the crossbar.
Trochowski cut onto his left foot and fired wide after 35 minutes before Rost was called on again to hold onto a drive from Lasse Schone.
The breakthrough came for Hamburg in the 40th minute when Trochowski drilled home a free-kick after Milano Koenders had been penalised for handball.
NEC had a mountain to climb when Hamburg added a second in the final minute of the first half as Mladen Petric crossed from the right byline and Silva was on hand to turn the ball in from close range.
NEC goalkeeper Gabor Babos was called on twice early in the second period to prevent the damage getting any worse, clinging on to shots from Jansen and Olic.
Trochowski's set-pieces were proving a constant menace to NEC and Olic headed another of the Germany international's dangerous balls into the box in the 66th minute, while wing-back Jansen again tested Babos seconds later.
The tie was effectively over when Hamburg added a third, and it was a goal made in Croatia.
Petric was again the provider, marauding down the right and crossing for compatriot Olic to drill home left-footed from 12 yards. It was Olic's fifth in the UEFA Cup, taking him level with Petric in the European scoring stakes.
