Teams | November 6, 2012 at 03:21 PM
New ground for both sides
New ground for both sides
Hertha BSC and VfR Aalen face each other for the first ever time on Sunday.
On Sunday at the Olympic stadium in the capital city, (16.09.12, 13.30 CET) Hertha BSC take on newly-promoted VfR Aalen for the first time ever. The two week long Bundesliga break for international games is finally over, and the ball is rolling again. On matchday five of the still-young Bundesliga 2 season, Hertha entertain VfR Aalen, who won automatic promotion two points behing champions Sandhausen at the end of last season. The game could well be a tight affair too. Only a point and a single place in the table seperates the teams before kick off. Home boss Jos Luhukay hopes to keep his side's unbeaten run going after wins over Jahn Regensburg (2:1) and cross-town rivals 1. FC Union Berlin. A victory on Sunday would lift the capital city side into the upper echelons of the Bundesliga 2 table.
Hertha's Dutch head coach is once again unable to pick the side he would have liked to. Midfielders Änis Ben-Hatira and Peer Kluge trained again with the team on Friday (14.09.12), but Sunday's game comes too early for them. The opposite applies to number one keeper Thomas Kraft, who has recovered from the back blockage sustained during warm-up before kick off against Union Berlin: "He has fully trained and will play on Sunday", his coach said this week. The stopper can't wait for what will be his first game of the new season. Out for certain are the long-term injured Christoph Janker, Shervin R. Fardi, Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Levan Kobiashvili, who is suspended until the end of the year.
Pekarik in the squad
Hertha's final new signing arrived at the club on Wednesday (12.09.12). Peter Pekarik, joined the club from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, and signed a deal designed to keep him in Berlin until June 30th 2014. The right back said on his arrival: "The first day was of course a stressful one. But I was able to have a few words with my new team mates and was warmly welcomed. I have already been to Berlin a few times with my wife and the city is beautiful. I am delighted to be here!"
That delight is shared by Luhukay. The Dutchman: "We had planned with Christoph Janker at right back, but heaven knows when he will return from injury. We needed a to fill that position and in Peter have found a good solution to the problem." The Slovakian international defender added: "I am fit and could play on Sunday, but such things are up to the coach." Pekarik has only trained with the team twice since his arrival, but is expected to be in the squad on Sunday.
New ground for both sides
Hertha BSC and VfR Aalen face each other for the first ever time on Sunday. Hertha want to maintain their unbeaten run, but injured midfielder Peer Kluge had a word of warning this week as he said: "Newly-promoted sides usually sit back and wait for a chance to hit you on the break which makes them dangerous."
Jos Luhukay agrees, and has his strategy in place. The Hertha coach: "We have to put them under pressure from the off and control the game for the full 90 minutes. We must be patient and wait for the right chance to strike."
Aalen not here to hide
A glance at the season stastistics reveals that Sunday's match will be anything but a stroll in the park. Ahlen impressively have won both of their away games so far against Bochum (1-0) and Duisburg (4:1). That kind of tally is a real confidence-booster for the Baden-Württemberg-based visitors: "We are in a great position after four rounds in Bundesliga 2. Who would have thought that matchday five in Berlin would be between the teams placed sixth and seventh in the table?", points out Ahlen's sport director and former Bayern and HSV midfielder Markus Schupp.
Ahlen head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl is in confident mood. He said this week: "In Berlin we want to prove that our two away wins so far were not just coincidences." Around 460 Ahlen fans will make the long trip to the capital city.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Franz, Hubnik, Pekarik - Ndjeng, Niemeyer, Ronny, Ramos - Allagui, Wagner
VfR Aalen: Bernhardt - Traut, Kister, B. Hübner, Buballa - A. Hofmann, Leandro - Haller, Dausch, Lechleiter - Reichwein
Hertha's Dutch head coach is once again unable to pick the side he would have liked to. Midfielders Änis Ben-Hatira and Peer Kluge trained again with the team on Friday (14.09.12), but Sunday's game comes too early for them. The opposite applies to number one keeper Thomas Kraft, who has recovered from the back blockage sustained during warm-up before kick off against Union Berlin: "He has fully trained and will play on Sunday", his coach said this week. The stopper can't wait for what will be his first game of the new season. Out for certain are the long-term injured Christoph Janker, Shervin R. Fardi, Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Levan Kobiashvili, who is suspended until the end of the year.
Pekarik in the squad
Hertha's final new signing arrived at the club on Wednesday (12.09.12). Peter Pekarik, joined the club from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, and signed a deal designed to keep him in Berlin until June 30th 2014. The right back said on his arrival: "The first day was of course a stressful one. But I was able to have a few words with my new team mates and was warmly welcomed. I have already been to Berlin a few times with my wife and the city is beautiful. I am delighted to be here!"
That delight is shared by Luhukay. The Dutchman: "We had planned with Christoph Janker at right back, but heaven knows when he will return from injury. We needed a to fill that position and in Peter have found a good solution to the problem." The Slovakian international defender added: "I am fit and could play on Sunday, but such things are up to the coach." Pekarik has only trained with the team twice since his arrival, but is expected to be in the squad on Sunday.
New ground for both sides
Hertha BSC and VfR Aalen face each other for the first ever time on Sunday. Hertha want to maintain their unbeaten run, but injured midfielder Peer Kluge had a word of warning this week as he said: "Newly-promoted sides usually sit back and wait for a chance to hit you on the break which makes them dangerous."
Jos Luhukay agrees, and has his strategy in place. The Hertha coach: "We have to put them under pressure from the off and control the game for the full 90 minutes. We must be patient and wait for the right chance to strike."
Aalen not here to hide
A glance at the season stastistics reveals that Sunday's match will be anything but a stroll in the park. Ahlen impressively have won both of their away games so far against Bochum (1-0) and Duisburg (4:1). That kind of tally is a real confidence-booster for the Baden-Württemberg-based visitors: "We are in a great position after four rounds in Bundesliga 2. Who would have thought that matchday five in Berlin would be between the teams placed sixth and seventh in the table?", points out Ahlen's sport director and former Bayern and HSV midfielder Markus Schupp.
Ahlen head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl is in confident mood. He said this week: "In Berlin we want to prove that our two away wins so far were not just coincidences." Around 460 Ahlen fans will make the long trip to the capital city.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Franz, Hubnik, Pekarik - Ndjeng, Niemeyer, Ronny, Ramos - Allagui, Wagner
VfR Aalen: Bernhardt - Traut, Kister, B. Hübner, Buballa - A. Hofmann, Leandro - Haller, Dausch, Lechleiter - Reichwein