Teams | November 15, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Hertha BSC triumph 6-1 in Sandhausen
Hertha BSC triumph 6-1 in Sandhausen
Six different scorers got their names onto the score sheet.
A superb display saw Hertha come away from Sandhausen with maximum points, following their resounding 6-1 matchday 13 Bundesliga 2 victory, in front of 8,300 at the Hardtwald Stadion, in a first ever meeting between the two sides on Friday evening (09.11.12). Six different players scored for the visitors. The victory saw the Berliners regain second place in the table. The capital city side closed the gap on leaders Braunschweig to five points, after Eintracht could only draw 1-1 at Aue on the same night.
After the disappointing 0-0 home draw with Ingolstadt last time out, Berlin coach Jos Luhukay reverted to the system which saw Adrian Ramos play as sole striker up front. Injured Fabian Holland was replaced in the starting line-up by Felix Bastians. Captain Peter Niemeyer returned from suspension.
On top from the off
Hertha playing in their red and black striped away kit took the early initiative. John Anthony Brooks headed over a corner curled in by Marcel Ndjeng after only 2 minutes. The visitors would remain dangerous at set pieces throughout the game. On seven minutes Ramos got the ball inside his own half before breaching the home midfield and finding Nico Schulz, whose cross into the middle was only missed by the smallest of margins by Ndjeng. Ronny floated a free kick into the Sandhausen box, but Niemeyer's rebounded off the left hand upright. Sandhausen keeper Michael Langer then denied Ramos as he tried to sink the rebound (9.).
Hertha's Columbian hitman continued working hard, keen to add to his pre-match goal tally of 3. Ramos was lacking accuracy with a shot towards the far corner (17.) and a header following a corner (27.). But two minutes later as Fabian Lustenberger back-headed a corner to the far post, Hertha's number 9 was perfectly placed to deservedly nod his side ahead (28.). Hertha's second goal was a curious one. Home keeper Langer punched a free kick floated in by Ronny onto the back of Niemeyer, from where it crossed the line to make it 2-0 to the visitors (35.). Langer was easily his side's best player in the opening half and prevented Hertha from going further ahead before the break, by denying first Nico Schulz and then a long distance pot by Ronny (38.). Hertha were well worth their 2-0 halftime lead.
Hertha hungry for more
Both teams emerged for the second half unchanged. Sandhausen tried to take the early initiative but were never able to threaten the goal being kept by Thomas Kraft, who had nothing to do before the break. Not so Hertha. Five minutes into the second half Schulz got a shot in from an acute angle only to be denied by keeper Langer. On 62 minutes Ramos failed to get direction and power onto a hedder following an accurate cross from Schulz. Ronny then played a nice one two with Schulz, whose advance into the area was abruptly ended as Langer brought him down and was shown a straight red card. The resulting penalty was calmly slotted home by Ronny for what was his fifth goal of the season (69.).
To their credit the home side pulled a goal back through substitute German-American Andrew Wooten, who converted a cross from the left played in by Alexander Riemann (75.). At the other end a Hertha sub got his name onto the scoresheet against ten-man Sandhausen: Sami Allagui left a defender in his wake inside the home box only to be thwarted by a good stop by substitute keeper Philipp Kühn (77.). Shortly afterwards the Tunisian international went one better, as he converted a Ndjeng pass at the near post to make it 4-1 to Hertha (81.).
Double whammy = game over
The final two minutes of the game saw Hertha strike again twice. A cross by Ndjeng floated over everyone and into the goal (89.). moments later young Ben Sahar was not challenged and fired home a fine shot from the edge of the area to complete Hertha's half dozen seconds ahead of the final whistle.
Next Monday night (19.11.12, 20. 15 CET) Hertha fans can look forward to what promises to be one of the games of the season. On Matchday 14 Hamburg cult-club FC St. Pauli visit the Olympic stadium in Berlin.
After the disappointing 0-0 home draw with Ingolstadt last time out, Berlin coach Jos Luhukay reverted to the system which saw Adrian Ramos play as sole striker up front. Injured Fabian Holland was replaced in the starting line-up by Felix Bastians. Captain Peter Niemeyer returned from suspension.
On top from the off
Hertha playing in their red and black striped away kit took the early initiative. John Anthony Brooks headed over a corner curled in by Marcel Ndjeng after only 2 minutes. The visitors would remain dangerous at set pieces throughout the game. On seven minutes Ramos got the ball inside his own half before breaching the home midfield and finding Nico Schulz, whose cross into the middle was only missed by the smallest of margins by Ndjeng. Ronny floated a free kick into the Sandhausen box, but Niemeyer's rebounded off the left hand upright. Sandhausen keeper Michael Langer then denied Ramos as he tried to sink the rebound (9.).
Hertha's Columbian hitman continued working hard, keen to add to his pre-match goal tally of 3. Ramos was lacking accuracy with a shot towards the far corner (17.) and a header following a corner (27.). But two minutes later as Fabian Lustenberger back-headed a corner to the far post, Hertha's number 9 was perfectly placed to deservedly nod his side ahead (28.). Hertha's second goal was a curious one. Home keeper Langer punched a free kick floated in by Ronny onto the back of Niemeyer, from where it crossed the line to make it 2-0 to the visitors (35.). Langer was easily his side's best player in the opening half and prevented Hertha from going further ahead before the break, by denying first Nico Schulz and then a long distance pot by Ronny (38.). Hertha were well worth their 2-0 halftime lead.
Hertha hungry for more
Both teams emerged for the second half unchanged. Sandhausen tried to take the early initiative but were never able to threaten the goal being kept by Thomas Kraft, who had nothing to do before the break. Not so Hertha. Five minutes into the second half Schulz got a shot in from an acute angle only to be denied by keeper Langer. On 62 minutes Ramos failed to get direction and power onto a hedder following an accurate cross from Schulz. Ronny then played a nice one two with Schulz, whose advance into the area was abruptly ended as Langer brought him down and was shown a straight red card. The resulting penalty was calmly slotted home by Ronny for what was his fifth goal of the season (69.).
To their credit the home side pulled a goal back through substitute German-American Andrew Wooten, who converted a cross from the left played in by Alexander Riemann (75.). At the other end a Hertha sub got his name onto the scoresheet against ten-man Sandhausen: Sami Allagui left a defender in his wake inside the home box only to be thwarted by a good stop by substitute keeper Philipp Kühn (77.). Shortly afterwards the Tunisian international went one better, as he converted a Ndjeng pass at the near post to make it 4-1 to Hertha (81.).
Double whammy = game over
The final two minutes of the game saw Hertha strike again twice. A cross by Ndjeng floated over everyone and into the goal (89.). moments later young Ben Sahar was not challenged and fired home a fine shot from the edge of the area to complete Hertha's half dozen seconds ahead of the final whistle.
Next Monday night (19.11.12, 20. 15 CET) Hertha fans can look forward to what promises to be one of the games of the season. On Matchday 14 Hamburg cult-club FC St. Pauli visit the Olympic stadium in Berlin.