Teams | September 10, 2012 at 07:11 PM
Hertha BSC begin new campaign with a home draw
Hertha BSC begin new campaign with a home draw
Hertha came from behind twice on Friday evening (03.08.12), to draw 2-2 at home to SC Paderborn on matchday 1 of the new Bundesliga 2 season.
New Berlin coach Jos Luhukay was without the services of long-time suspended defender Levan Kobiashvili as well as striker Änis Ben-Hatira, keeper Thomas Kraft and the injured Franz, Rukavytsya, Janker and Lasogga. As expected Sascha Burchert replaced Kraft between the Hertha posts. Marcel Ndjeng, Peer Kluge and Sami Allagui - all close season signings - made their debuts against Paderborn.
Lively start
Before kick off Patrick Ebert and Maikel Aerts were given an official send off by manager Michael Preetz to thunderous applause from the 23,404-strong crowd inside the Olympic stadium in the German capital. Because of the DFB disciplinary verdict following the scandalous scenes during the relegation play off second leg in Düsseldorf last season, Hertha were without a major part of their most faithful fans. Those present though got right behind the team from the opening whistle. The game began brightly too: Firstly the ball hit Thomas Bertels on the hand inside the box, then fit-again Swiss midfielder Fabian Lustenberger claimed he had been brought down by the same player. In both cases referee Deniz Aytekin waved play on (3.). Three minutes later a Knoll free kick was just missed by the head of Allagui, the ball flew wide of target.
The home side looked useful going forward as they tried to find the quickest possible route to goal. On most occasions though the final telling pass was missing. A 30 metre thunderbolt from Marcel Ndjeng fizzed agonisingly over the Paderborn crossbar (30.). The visitors then scored with their first shot of the game, as Jens Wemmer played the ball into the Berlin box, from where Deniz Yilmaz only had to scramble the ball home (43.). Paderborn rather fortunately led 1-0 at the break.
Super-sub Ronny!
Both teams emerged for the second half unchanged, and the direction of the game remained the same too. The second half was only moments old As Kluge fed Allagui, whose effort was too high (46.). A crisp shot by Knoll was then superbly tipped around a post by visiting keeper Lukas Kruse (55.). Jos Luhukay replaced Beichler and Kluge with Adrian Ramos and Ronny, in an effort to introduce fresh legs up front. Paderborn's Daniel Brückner then the short straw in a one on one situation with Hertha stopper Sascha Burchert (63.).
Sixty seconds later the home crowd were in raptures of joy as Ronny equalised by blasting a fierce shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net leaving Kruse groping at air. The game livened up again and Luhukay brought on a further striker in Sandro Wagner for skipper and defender Peter Niemeyer. Paderborn to their credit continued to press forward, and Yilmaz threatened with a shot on the turn which landed on the roof of the Hertha goal (72.). At the other end a pinpoint cross by Knoll found Allagui, but the Tunisian lost control of the ball while under pressure from two defenders (78.). Moments later Ramos crossed into the Paderborn box, but Ronny missed the ball by a whisker and it flew just wide of goal.
Hertha show charachter
The Columbian then squandered a real sitter as he fired wide of the left hand post while on his own in front of goal, after being nicely set up by Allagui (78.). Paderborn's attacks became less frequent but one of them was effective. Bertels went to ground under a challenge by Hubnik and was awarded a slightly dubious penalty, which was coolly dispatched into the back of the net by Alban Meha (86.). Despite that setback Hertha were not to be denied and deservedly equalised through Allagui, who put home the rebound after a Ronny free kick was only parried into his path by Kruse (88.). Ronny almost won the day for the home side in the final minute, but his screamer from 30 metres out shaved the left hand upright as it flew wide.
The referee then blew time on the opening game of the new season. Hertha were not justly rewarded for their efforts and had to settle for a point. Next Sunday (12.08.12) the capital city side on their travels, as they take on FSV Frankfurt at the Frankfurter Volksbank-Stadion on matchday 2.
Lively start
Before kick off Patrick Ebert and Maikel Aerts were given an official send off by manager Michael Preetz to thunderous applause from the 23,404-strong crowd inside the Olympic stadium in the German capital. Because of the DFB disciplinary verdict following the scandalous scenes during the relegation play off second leg in Düsseldorf last season, Hertha were without a major part of their most faithful fans. Those present though got right behind the team from the opening whistle. The game began brightly too: Firstly the ball hit Thomas Bertels on the hand inside the box, then fit-again Swiss midfielder Fabian Lustenberger claimed he had been brought down by the same player. In both cases referee Deniz Aytekin waved play on (3.). Three minutes later a Knoll free kick was just missed by the head of Allagui, the ball flew wide of target.
The home side looked useful going forward as they tried to find the quickest possible route to goal. On most occasions though the final telling pass was missing. A 30 metre thunderbolt from Marcel Ndjeng fizzed agonisingly over the Paderborn crossbar (30.). The visitors then scored with their first shot of the game, as Jens Wemmer played the ball into the Berlin box, from where Deniz Yilmaz only had to scramble the ball home (43.). Paderborn rather fortunately led 1-0 at the break.
Super-sub Ronny!
Both teams emerged for the second half unchanged, and the direction of the game remained the same too. The second half was only moments old As Kluge fed Allagui, whose effort was too high (46.). A crisp shot by Knoll was then superbly tipped around a post by visiting keeper Lukas Kruse (55.). Jos Luhukay replaced Beichler and Kluge with Adrian Ramos and Ronny, in an effort to introduce fresh legs up front. Paderborn's Daniel Brückner then the short straw in a one on one situation with Hertha stopper Sascha Burchert (63.).
Sixty seconds later the home crowd were in raptures of joy as Ronny equalised by blasting a fierce shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net leaving Kruse groping at air. The game livened up again and Luhukay brought on a further striker in Sandro Wagner for skipper and defender Peter Niemeyer. Paderborn to their credit continued to press forward, and Yilmaz threatened with a shot on the turn which landed on the roof of the Hertha goal (72.). At the other end a pinpoint cross by Knoll found Allagui, but the Tunisian lost control of the ball while under pressure from two defenders (78.). Moments later Ramos crossed into the Paderborn box, but Ronny missed the ball by a whisker and it flew just wide of goal.
Hertha show charachter
The Columbian then squandered a real sitter as he fired wide of the left hand post while on his own in front of goal, after being nicely set up by Allagui (78.). Paderborn's attacks became less frequent but one of them was effective. Bertels went to ground under a challenge by Hubnik and was awarded a slightly dubious penalty, which was coolly dispatched into the back of the net by Alban Meha (86.). Despite that setback Hertha were not to be denied and deservedly equalised through Allagui, who put home the rebound after a Ronny free kick was only parried into his path by Kruse (88.). Ronny almost won the day for the home side in the final minute, but his screamer from 30 metres out shaved the left hand upright as it flew wide.
The referee then blew time on the opening game of the new season. Hertha were not justly rewarded for their efforts and had to settle for a point. Next Sunday (12.08.12) the capital city side on their travels, as they take on FSV Frankfurt at the Frankfurter Volksbank-Stadion on matchday 2.