Teams | August 12, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Good grief - what a start!
Good grief - what a start!
Hertha BSC hammered Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1 at home on Bundesliga matchday 1.
Berlin - Hertha BSC produced a remarkable performance to mark their return to top flight football. On Saturday (10.08.13), the capital city side hammered Europa league participants Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1 (!) in driving rain in front of 54.476 at the Olympic stadium on Berlin. The emphatic win sees Hertha top the Bundesliga table - at least for 24 hours!
Berlin boss Jos Luhukay made just one change to his side which needed extra time to beat fifth division minnows Neumünster in round one of the DFB Cup last weekend: Hajime Hosogai got the nod over veteran Peer Kluge. In Hosogai, Sebastian Langkamp, Johannes van den Bergh and Alexander Baumjohann, all four summer signings made Hertha's starting line up. Ronny who missed the Neumünster game through injury, was on the bench. The only player unavailable for selection was striker Pierre-Michel Lassoga, who missed out with an ankle problem. Visiting coach Armin Veh also made one change to his team which beat little-known FV Illertissen away in the cup, with Kevin Trapp returning between the Eintracht posts. The first highlight came before kick off, as Hertha BSC and their kit sponsor Nike extended their contract which was due to expire in 2015, to the year 2025.
Two goals and three crossbars for Hertha
Two highly-motivated teams locked horns on the pitch. Hertha put the visitors under early pressure in their own half while Frankfurt tried to relieve that pressure. The opening couple of chances in the game fell to the visitors. Firstly Johannes Flum fired a shot from 20 metres into the arms of home keeper Thomas Kraft (6.), before Jan Rosenthal took a pass from the right only to blaze his shot over the bar (12.). Hertha began to threaten moments later, but Marcel Ndjeng could only look on in horror as his long distance effort cannoned off the crossbar with Trapp well beaten (13.). The crossbar then prevented Adrian Ramos from firing his side ahead 16.). But the home side were not to be denied: Sami Allagui beautifully found compatriot Änis Ben-Hatira down the left from where he unselfishly played the ball into the middle, where Ramos was lurking to easily score from close range (18.). Hertha could have doubled their lead shortly afterwards, but Trapp did well to thwart an effort from Baumjohann (20.).
The game remained action packed too. Frankfurt's Rosenthal fired a shot from the edge of the box narrowly wide (28.), before moments later Ben-Hatira blasted a volley following a pinpoint cross to the far post by Baumjohann into the side netting (30.). Hertha struck again on 32 minutes as Frankfurt only partially blocked an effort by Ben-Hatira. John Anthony Brooks was well placed to fire the ball home from only 12 metres out (32.). Frankfurt were rightly awarded a penalty which was put away by Alex Meier, after Ramos had fouled Rosenthal inside the Berlin box ,after a header by Marco Russ had rebounded from the right hand post (36.). The Hessen-based visitors threatened again three minutes before the break, but a timely challenge by Johannes van den Bergh prevented Joselu from getting his shot away (42.). Hertha struck the crossbar for the third time seconds before the halftime whistle sounded, as Allagui struck it with a fine header. The home side led 2-1 at the break.
Allagui brace too good for Eintracht
The home side emerged for the second half unchanged, unlike Frankfurt who made two changes. Fifteen minutes into the new half Hertha increased their lead to 3-1 after Baumjohann produced a wonderful cross to Allagui who scored from close range (58.). Then debutant Hosogai found the Tunisian international with a sweet pass. Allagui beat Trapp one on one to make it 4-1 to the Berliners. The home side were always dangerous with their swift attacks and Frankfurt could find no answer to them. Ndjeng joined the attack and was found by Baumjohann on the edge of the box from where he sent a fizzing shot agonisingly wide of the top left hand corner (68.).
Ramos then went one better. Once again the impressive Baumjohann was involved in a move which ended in the Columbian striker firing a low left foot shot past Trapp and into the net at the near post (71.). 5-1 to Hertha! Jos Luhukay introduced fresh legs by bringing on Nico Schulz and Ronny for the superb duo of Änis Ben-Hatira and Alexander Baumjohann. Ramos even scored again, only to be ruled offside (82.). At the other end Frankfurt substitute Stefan Aigner lobbed the ball over advancing Hertha stopper Kraft, but much to the delight of the majority of the huge crowd, Brooks superbly cleared the ball off his own goal line (83.). Late on Luhukay brought off Hosogai who got a rousing send off after a superb display. He was replaced for the remaining seconds by Kluge. The final piece of action involved Ronny, who dribbled his was past three Frankfurt defenders while central outside the box before firing home to make the final score 6-1 to Hertha (89.).
Top of the tree!
Hertha are in action a week on Sunday (18.08.13) as they face a tricky trip south, where they will take on Nürnberg in their own back yard on Bundesliga matchday 2. That game kicks off at 15.30 CET. Travelling Hertha fans will be hoping that Luhukay and Co. will collect further points in Hertha's mission to remain in the top flight.
Berlin boss Jos Luhukay made just one change to his side which needed extra time to beat fifth division minnows Neumünster in round one of the DFB Cup last weekend: Hajime Hosogai got the nod over veteran Peer Kluge. In Hosogai, Sebastian Langkamp, Johannes van den Bergh and Alexander Baumjohann, all four summer signings made Hertha's starting line up. Ronny who missed the Neumünster game through injury, was on the bench. The only player unavailable for selection was striker Pierre-Michel Lassoga, who missed out with an ankle problem. Visiting coach Armin Veh also made one change to his team which beat little-known FV Illertissen away in the cup, with Kevin Trapp returning between the Eintracht posts. The first highlight came before kick off, as Hertha BSC and their kit sponsor Nike extended their contract which was due to expire in 2015, to the year 2025.
Two goals and three crossbars for Hertha
Two highly-motivated teams locked horns on the pitch. Hertha put the visitors under early pressure in their own half while Frankfurt tried to relieve that pressure. The opening couple of chances in the game fell to the visitors. Firstly Johannes Flum fired a shot from 20 metres into the arms of home keeper Thomas Kraft (6.), before Jan Rosenthal took a pass from the right only to blaze his shot over the bar (12.). Hertha began to threaten moments later, but Marcel Ndjeng could only look on in horror as his long distance effort cannoned off the crossbar with Trapp well beaten (13.). The crossbar then prevented Adrian Ramos from firing his side ahead 16.). But the home side were not to be denied: Sami Allagui beautifully found compatriot Änis Ben-Hatira down the left from where he unselfishly played the ball into the middle, where Ramos was lurking to easily score from close range (18.). Hertha could have doubled their lead shortly afterwards, but Trapp did well to thwart an effort from Baumjohann (20.).
The game remained action packed too. Frankfurt's Rosenthal fired a shot from the edge of the box narrowly wide (28.), before moments later Ben-Hatira blasted a volley following a pinpoint cross to the far post by Baumjohann into the side netting (30.). Hertha struck again on 32 minutes as Frankfurt only partially blocked an effort by Ben-Hatira. John Anthony Brooks was well placed to fire the ball home from only 12 metres out (32.). Frankfurt were rightly awarded a penalty which was put away by Alex Meier, after Ramos had fouled Rosenthal inside the Berlin box ,after a header by Marco Russ had rebounded from the right hand post (36.). The Hessen-based visitors threatened again three minutes before the break, but a timely challenge by Johannes van den Bergh prevented Joselu from getting his shot away (42.). Hertha struck the crossbar for the third time seconds before the halftime whistle sounded, as Allagui struck it with a fine header. The home side led 2-1 at the break.
Allagui brace too good for Eintracht
The home side emerged for the second half unchanged, unlike Frankfurt who made two changes. Fifteen minutes into the new half Hertha increased their lead to 3-1 after Baumjohann produced a wonderful cross to Allagui who scored from close range (58.). Then debutant Hosogai found the Tunisian international with a sweet pass. Allagui beat Trapp one on one to make it 4-1 to the Berliners. The home side were always dangerous with their swift attacks and Frankfurt could find no answer to them. Ndjeng joined the attack and was found by Baumjohann on the edge of the box from where he sent a fizzing shot agonisingly wide of the top left hand corner (68.).
Ramos then went one better. Once again the impressive Baumjohann was involved in a move which ended in the Columbian striker firing a low left foot shot past Trapp and into the net at the near post (71.). 5-1 to Hertha! Jos Luhukay introduced fresh legs by bringing on Nico Schulz and Ronny for the superb duo of Änis Ben-Hatira and Alexander Baumjohann. Ramos even scored again, only to be ruled offside (82.). At the other end Frankfurt substitute Stefan Aigner lobbed the ball over advancing Hertha stopper Kraft, but much to the delight of the majority of the huge crowd, Brooks superbly cleared the ball off his own goal line (83.). Late on Luhukay brought off Hosogai who got a rousing send off after a superb display. He was replaced for the remaining seconds by Kluge. The final piece of action involved Ronny, who dribbled his was past three Frankfurt defenders while central outside the box before firing home to make the final score 6-1 to Hertha (89.).
Top of the tree!
Hertha are in action a week on Sunday (18.08.13) as they face a tricky trip south, where they will take on Nürnberg in their own back yard on Bundesliga matchday 2. That game kicks off at 15.30 CET. Travelling Hertha fans will be hoping that Luhukay and Co. will collect further points in Hertha's mission to remain in the top flight.