Teams | February 17, 2013 at 05:16 PM
Workmanlike 1-0 win in Aalen
Workmanlike 1-0 win in Aalen
Hertha beat VfR Aalen 1-0, thanks to a late goal by Marcel Ndjeng.
Aalen - In a game almost void of highlights, Hertha ground out a 1-0 win away to VfR Aalen, in a Bundesliga 2 matchday 22 encounter in front of 8,119 at the Scholz-Arena on Saturday afternoon (16.02.13). The victory keeps the capital city side two points behind leaders Eintracht Braunschweig, who beat bottom placed side Jahn Regensburg 1-0 away the previous evening. The win also extended the unbeaten run of coach Jos Luhukay and his men to 20 matches - a club record.
Luhukay made three changes to the team which began the Berlin derby against Union Berlin (2-2) at the sold out Olympic stadium last time out: Peer Kluge picked up a fifth booking in that game so he missed the trip to Aalen through a one-match suspension. That gave a rare start to Alfredo Morales who hadn't started a game for an age. Morales lined up alongside skipper Peter Niemeyer in front of the back four. Fabian Holland returned from suspension at left back, and Luhukay raised a few eyebrows by choosing young Marvin Knoll ahead of Sami Allagui who reverted to the bench..
Poor game in poor conditions
The pitch at the Scholz-Arena had become boggy after days of falling snow on it, and it became clear early on that a 90 minutes battle was on the cards. Hertha in their red and black striped away kit tried out pumping long balls forward against a home side massed at the back, waiting for a chance to hit them on the break. Most of those hopeful long balls lacked accuracy, so it was hardly surprising that the opening chance of the game fell to the home side. A pass from the back found Enrico Valentini racing down the left flank from where he cut into the Hertha box. Luckily for the visitors, keeper Thomas Kraft came out of his goal to thwart Valentini with a perfectly timed challenge (20.).
Hertha began to combine better midway through the opening half, but once again misplaced passing and a massed home defence nipped any threat in the bud.. Aalen then mounted a counter attack which was finished off by Leandro trying his luck from 20 metres out. His effort flew well over Kraft's crossbar (31.). Hertha finally put more than two passes together in a move which saw Marcel Ndjeng cross from the right, only to see home keeper Jasmin Fajzic pluck the ball out of the air with ease (37.). Hertha's best chance of the half resulted from an Aalen corner. The visiotrs won the ball before Ronny sent a wonderful pass with the outside of his boot into the path of Adrian Ramos. The Columbian striker however fired the ball wide of the far post. The game was goalless as referee Christian Dingert woke everyone up by blowing his whistle at halftime.
Ndjeng scores priceless goal
Both sides emerged unchanged for the second half. On 50 minutes Aalen pumped a long hopeful punt forward, but Robert Lechleiter just failed to connect with the ball which in the end landed in the arms of Kraft. Valentini then tried a shot from outside of the Hertha box which flew well over the bar (53.). Ronny curled a ball into the Aalen area, but Ramos and Ndjeng failed to get a decisive touch onto it (59.). The travelling Hertha fans though Ramos had opened the scoring after just over an hour, but referee Dingert had seen the Columbian use his hand earlier in the move so the “goal” was not allowed to stand. Luhukay brought on Änis Ben-Hatira for the final third of the game for the luckless Knoll.
Hertha began to up the pressure and on 75 minutes a superb cross from the right by Fabian Holland found Ndjeng inside the Aalen box. He set up Ramos whose shot was blocked by a forest of Aalen legs. Things went better the other way round, as Ramos did will to battle his way down the right wing, from where he played a square ball into the area, where Ndjeng was lurking unmarked, and had the easiest of tasks sliding the ball home from close distance (77.). 1-0 to Hertha! Ramos, who had moments before placed a header onto the roof of the Aalen net received warm applause by the 1,000 or so travelling Hertha fans as he was replaced by Sandro Wagner shortly afterwards.
VfR to their credit did not give up after Hertha had finally broken the deadlock. A long cross from the right found Lechleiter, but Kraft was well positioned to deal with his shot from an acute angle (83.). Roman Hubnik was brought on for Ronny in the closing minutes. The home side threw all they had forward, but Hertha held on to secure three crucial points in their quest for immediate promotion to the top flight. It wasn't pretty, but we'll take it!
Matchday 23 sees Hertha play a top three televised home game against fellow-promotion aspirants 1. FC Kaiserslautern. That game at the Olympic stadium in Berlin is on Monday February 25th and kicks off at 20.15 CET. The game will be shown live on Sport1 TV. See you all there!
Luhukay made three changes to the team which began the Berlin derby against Union Berlin (2-2) at the sold out Olympic stadium last time out: Peer Kluge picked up a fifth booking in that game so he missed the trip to Aalen through a one-match suspension. That gave a rare start to Alfredo Morales who hadn't started a game for an age. Morales lined up alongside skipper Peter Niemeyer in front of the back four. Fabian Holland returned from suspension at left back, and Luhukay raised a few eyebrows by choosing young Marvin Knoll ahead of Sami Allagui who reverted to the bench..
Poor game in poor conditions
The pitch at the Scholz-Arena had become boggy after days of falling snow on it, and it became clear early on that a 90 minutes battle was on the cards. Hertha in their red and black striped away kit tried out pumping long balls forward against a home side massed at the back, waiting for a chance to hit them on the break. Most of those hopeful long balls lacked accuracy, so it was hardly surprising that the opening chance of the game fell to the home side. A pass from the back found Enrico Valentini racing down the left flank from where he cut into the Hertha box. Luckily for the visitors, keeper Thomas Kraft came out of his goal to thwart Valentini with a perfectly timed challenge (20.).
Hertha began to combine better midway through the opening half, but once again misplaced passing and a massed home defence nipped any threat in the bud.. Aalen then mounted a counter attack which was finished off by Leandro trying his luck from 20 metres out. His effort flew well over Kraft's crossbar (31.). Hertha finally put more than two passes together in a move which saw Marcel Ndjeng cross from the right, only to see home keeper Jasmin Fajzic pluck the ball out of the air with ease (37.). Hertha's best chance of the half resulted from an Aalen corner. The visiotrs won the ball before Ronny sent a wonderful pass with the outside of his boot into the path of Adrian Ramos. The Columbian striker however fired the ball wide of the far post. The game was goalless as referee Christian Dingert woke everyone up by blowing his whistle at halftime.
Ndjeng scores priceless goal
Both sides emerged unchanged for the second half. On 50 minutes Aalen pumped a long hopeful punt forward, but Robert Lechleiter just failed to connect with the ball which in the end landed in the arms of Kraft. Valentini then tried a shot from outside of the Hertha box which flew well over the bar (53.). Ronny curled a ball into the Aalen area, but Ramos and Ndjeng failed to get a decisive touch onto it (59.). The travelling Hertha fans though Ramos had opened the scoring after just over an hour, but referee Dingert had seen the Columbian use his hand earlier in the move so the “goal” was not allowed to stand. Luhukay brought on Änis Ben-Hatira for the final third of the game for the luckless Knoll.
Hertha began to up the pressure and on 75 minutes a superb cross from the right by Fabian Holland found Ndjeng inside the Aalen box. He set up Ramos whose shot was blocked by a forest of Aalen legs. Things went better the other way round, as Ramos did will to battle his way down the right wing, from where he played a square ball into the area, where Ndjeng was lurking unmarked, and had the easiest of tasks sliding the ball home from close distance (77.). 1-0 to Hertha! Ramos, who had moments before placed a header onto the roof of the Aalen net received warm applause by the 1,000 or so travelling Hertha fans as he was replaced by Sandro Wagner shortly afterwards.
VfR to their credit did not give up after Hertha had finally broken the deadlock. A long cross from the right found Lechleiter, but Kraft was well positioned to deal with his shot from an acute angle (83.). Roman Hubnik was brought on for Ronny in the closing minutes. The home side threw all they had forward, but Hertha held on to secure three crucial points in their quest for immediate promotion to the top flight. It wasn't pretty, but we'll take it!
Matchday 23 sees Hertha play a top three televised home game against fellow-promotion aspirants 1. FC Kaiserslautern. That game at the Olympic stadium in Berlin is on Monday February 25th and kicks off at 20.15 CET. The game will be shown live on Sport1 TV. See you all there!