Teams | April 21, 2013 at 12:10 PM
Promotion on Sunday?
Promotion on Sunday?
Should Hertha BSC beat lowly SV Sandhausen at the Olympic stadium on Sunday (21.04.13) on matchday 30, they will win automatic promotion to the Bundesliga.
Berlin - With a superb show of consistency and a strong will to win, Hertha BSC have come through the 2012/2013 Bundesliga 2 in style, searching for the ultimate prize: Automatic promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt. On Sunday (21.04.13) the capital city side can win automatic promotion with a win over Sandhausen at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Three points for coach Jos Luhukay's men would mean that Hertha would be out of reach of the teams in third and fourth place with only four games to go.
"We have worked hard towards it all season and would like to crown our efforts on Sunday", enthused young midfielder Nico Schulz, hoping to win promotion in front of Hertha's home fans. That would be a first: Because until now when the club has won promotion (1968, 1982, 1990, 1997, 2011) it was always away from home: "We don't only want to do it for ourselves, but far more to thank our fans with a special moment", added Marcel Ndjeng, who will play at right back for Peter Pekarik. Slovakian Pekarik has begun light training following his torn hamstring injury, sustained during the last minute of Hertha's recent home win over second placed Braunschweig.
First time would be great
Pekarik is joined by Peter Niemeyer on the injured list. Hertha's influential skipper suffered concussion against Braunschweig and will have to cheer the lads on from the stands on Sunday. Niemeyer's place in the team once again goes to Alfredo Morales, who together with Peer Kluge will be pulling the strings in defensive midfield. Fabian Holland, Christoph Janker, Felix Bastians, Marvin Knoll, Hany Mukhtar, Shervin Radjabali-Fardi and Philip Sprint have not made the squad.
"It has taken a lot of hard work on our journey to get to where we are now but it has all been absolutely worth it", explained Luhukay this week before adding: "Our goal was to win promotion within the matchdays 30 - 34. We are keen to do so at the first attempt. We want to give something back to our fans."
Sandhausen: Weakest away team
On paper the game between the Bundesliga 2 leaders and second bottom placed visitors looks an easy task. Sandhausen have only taken seven points away from home, conceding 37 goals in the process. It is the worst away record in all three German professional leagues. Sandhausen have never kept a clean sheet on their travels: "Anything but a victory would be sad", knows Hertha's young central defender John Anthony Brooks. Team mate Ndjeng, who has won promotion under Luhukay with Mönchengladbach and Augsburg is hoping to make it for the third time but warns against possible complacency. He knows that the underdogs must not be underestimated: "That would be the worst thing we could do", he said.
Hertha drew 1-1 at FC Ingolstadt last time out, thanks mainly to a marked improvement after the break. On Sunday Nico Schulz is demanding from the team: "The kind of 100% effort and the undying will to win which has been our trademark this season. If we can perform at our usual level Sandhausen won't stand a chance.” A win on Sunday would be Hertha's nineteenth of the season: "We want to finish off what we have started", says Luhukay.
Just one thing left to say: Come on lads make us proud!
Possible line-ups:
"We have worked hard towards it all season and would like to crown our efforts on Sunday", enthused young midfielder Nico Schulz, hoping to win promotion in front of Hertha's home fans. That would be a first: Because until now when the club has won promotion (1968, 1982, 1990, 1997, 2011) it was always away from home: "We don't only want to do it for ourselves, but far more to thank our fans with a special moment", added Marcel Ndjeng, who will play at right back for Peter Pekarik. Slovakian Pekarik has begun light training following his torn hamstring injury, sustained during the last minute of Hertha's recent home win over second placed Braunschweig.
First time would be great
Pekarik is joined by Peter Niemeyer on the injured list. Hertha's influential skipper suffered concussion against Braunschweig and will have to cheer the lads on from the stands on Sunday. Niemeyer's place in the team once again goes to Alfredo Morales, who together with Peer Kluge will be pulling the strings in defensive midfield. Fabian Holland, Christoph Janker, Felix Bastians, Marvin Knoll, Hany Mukhtar, Shervin Radjabali-Fardi and Philip Sprint have not made the squad.
"It has taken a lot of hard work on our journey to get to where we are now but it has all been absolutely worth it", explained Luhukay this week before adding: "Our goal was to win promotion within the matchdays 30 - 34. We are keen to do so at the first attempt. We want to give something back to our fans."
Sandhausen: Weakest away team
On paper the game between the Bundesliga 2 leaders and second bottom placed visitors looks an easy task. Sandhausen have only taken seven points away from home, conceding 37 goals in the process. It is the worst away record in all three German professional leagues. Sandhausen have never kept a clean sheet on their travels: "Anything but a victory would be sad", knows Hertha's young central defender John Anthony Brooks. Team mate Ndjeng, who has won promotion under Luhukay with Mönchengladbach and Augsburg is hoping to make it for the third time but warns against possible complacency. He knows that the underdogs must not be underestimated: "That would be the worst thing we could do", he said.
Hertha drew 1-1 at FC Ingolstadt last time out, thanks mainly to a marked improvement after the break. On Sunday Nico Schulz is demanding from the team: "The kind of 100% effort and the undying will to win which has been our trademark this season. If we can perform at our usual level Sandhausen won't stand a chance.” A win on Sunday would be Hertha's nineteenth of the season: "We want to finish off what we have started", says Luhukay.
Just one thing left to say: Come on lads make us proud!
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Ndjeng, Lustenberger, Brooks, Kobiashvili – Morales, Kluge – Allagui, Ronny, Schulz – Ramos
SV Sandhausen: Langer – Schauerte, Pischorn, Olajengbesi, Achenbach – Adler, Fießer, Danneberg, Ulm – Mäkelä, Wooten