Teams | February 17, 2014 at 03:01 PM
Bitter 1-2 against the Wolves
Bitter 1-2 against the Wolves
Hertha lost to VfL Wolfsburg despite leading at the break.
Berlin - Hertha rounded off Bundesliga matchday 21 with a home game against VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday evening (16.02.14). Despite leading 1-0 at the break and having created a hatful of decent chances, Jos Luhukay's men lost 1-2. The Hertha coach picked the same starting line-up which easily won 3-0 in Hamburg last time out - but played some men in different positions. Johannes van den Bergh (left) and Peter Pekarik (right) played at full back again, while Marcel Ndjeng (right) and Sami Allagui (left) were in midfield. Wolves boss Dieter Hecking replaced suspended Naldo with Timm Klose in central defence and also gave the nod to Slobodan Medojevic at the expense of Christian Träsch.
There was no time to test each other out as both sides tried to seize the early initiative. After three minutes the visiting defence had to be on their guard as a superb through ball found Sami Allagui who was crowded out by the Wolfsburg defence as soon as he reached their penalty area. The Niedersachsen-based visitors began to find their way into the game after around a quarter of an hour, without it must be said being able to really threaten. Not so Hertha. On 21 minutes Allagui got the ball in a central position outside the Wolfsburg box, from where he found Per Skjelbred, whose first effort was blocked, but he scored with the rebound to give the home side the lead in front of another 40,000 plus crowd at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Two minutes later a long floated ball from van den Bergh reached top scorer Ramos, who failed to net, first with a header then a shot. As the resulting corner came in the Columbian failed to get enough direction or power behind his header.
Hertha rue missed chances
The visitors rarely threatened the goal of home stopper Thomas Kraft. After keeping out a ball from team mate Tolga Cigerci following a free kick by Gustavo, the keeper was called upon to prevent what looked to be a certain equaliser. Ivan Perisic was played in by a wonderful ball from Maximilian Arnold only for Kraft to block his effort from ten metres out (27.). Hertha were guilty of not making it 2-0 after creating further good scoring chances. On 35 minutes Ramos spotted Wolves keeper Benaglio well off his line, but his long range lob was aimed slightly too high. An even better chance was missed by Allagui following a cross by Ndjeng. Wolfsburg's Patrick Ochs took the ball off the Tunisian's boot just as he was about to pull the trigger (39.). On the stroke of halftime Ricardo Rodriguez tried his luck with a free kick from distance, but Kraft ignored it as it flew wide of target. Hertha led 1-0 at halftime.
The home side had the opening chance of the second half too as Skjelbred passed to Allagui with a fine diagonal ball. But his cross landed in the arms of Benaglio (47.). The visitors pulled level through a set piece, as Robin Knoche nodded home a Rodriguez corner while completely unmarked (58.). The home side looked keen to rescore their lead, and an attack which began by their own corner flag moved forward at lightning pace. The ball fell to Ramos following good approach work involving Cigerci, Allagui and Ndjeng, whose cross was cleared through a last ditch tackle by Klose (62.). The same thing happened just five minutes later after Cigerci had sent Ramos on his way with a useful through ball (67.).
Superb strike puts the Wolves in the driving seat
Luhukay brought on Änis Ben-Hatira (back after a long injury lay off) for Allagui for the final fifteen minutes. Cigerci let fly with a pile driver from 25 metres out, but Benaglio kept it out at the second attempt (75.). Shortly afterwards the efficient visitors were ahead as substitute Daniel Caligiuri let fly from the edge of the Berlin box with an effort which flew into the top right hand corner of the net (78.) to stun the home crowd. Luhukay reacted by bringing on Ronny for Skjelbred - and it almost immediately paid off. A deflected Ronny free kick fell to Ramos, but his cross was only headed onto the Wolfsburg crossbar by Ben-Hatira (83.). The Wolves slightly fortunately began their hour long trip home with maximum points after what was a real smash and grab raid which took them up to sixth place in the Bundesliga table. Hertha are still handily placed in eighth.
The capital city side are on their travels again on matchday 22, as they fly south to take on strugglers VfB Stuttgart, who lost 1-4 in Hoffenheim this weekend.
There was no time to test each other out as both sides tried to seize the early initiative. After three minutes the visiting defence had to be on their guard as a superb through ball found Sami Allagui who was crowded out by the Wolfsburg defence as soon as he reached their penalty area. The Niedersachsen-based visitors began to find their way into the game after around a quarter of an hour, without it must be said being able to really threaten. Not so Hertha. On 21 minutes Allagui got the ball in a central position outside the Wolfsburg box, from where he found Per Skjelbred, whose first effort was blocked, but he scored with the rebound to give the home side the lead in front of another 40,000 plus crowd at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Two minutes later a long floated ball from van den Bergh reached top scorer Ramos, who failed to net, first with a header then a shot. As the resulting corner came in the Columbian failed to get enough direction or power behind his header.
Hertha rue missed chances
The visitors rarely threatened the goal of home stopper Thomas Kraft. After keeping out a ball from team mate Tolga Cigerci following a free kick by Gustavo, the keeper was called upon to prevent what looked to be a certain equaliser. Ivan Perisic was played in by a wonderful ball from Maximilian Arnold only for Kraft to block his effort from ten metres out (27.). Hertha were guilty of not making it 2-0 after creating further good scoring chances. On 35 minutes Ramos spotted Wolves keeper Benaglio well off his line, but his long range lob was aimed slightly too high. An even better chance was missed by Allagui following a cross by Ndjeng. Wolfsburg's Patrick Ochs took the ball off the Tunisian's boot just as he was about to pull the trigger (39.). On the stroke of halftime Ricardo Rodriguez tried his luck with a free kick from distance, but Kraft ignored it as it flew wide of target. Hertha led 1-0 at halftime.
The home side had the opening chance of the second half too as Skjelbred passed to Allagui with a fine diagonal ball. But his cross landed in the arms of Benaglio (47.). The visitors pulled level through a set piece, as Robin Knoche nodded home a Rodriguez corner while completely unmarked (58.). The home side looked keen to rescore their lead, and an attack which began by their own corner flag moved forward at lightning pace. The ball fell to Ramos following good approach work involving Cigerci, Allagui and Ndjeng, whose cross was cleared through a last ditch tackle by Klose (62.). The same thing happened just five minutes later after Cigerci had sent Ramos on his way with a useful through ball (67.).
Superb strike puts the Wolves in the driving seat
Luhukay brought on Änis Ben-Hatira (back after a long injury lay off) for Allagui for the final fifteen minutes. Cigerci let fly with a pile driver from 25 metres out, but Benaglio kept it out at the second attempt (75.). Shortly afterwards the efficient visitors were ahead as substitute Daniel Caligiuri let fly from the edge of the Berlin box with an effort which flew into the top right hand corner of the net (78.) to stun the home crowd. Luhukay reacted by bringing on Ronny for Skjelbred - and it almost immediately paid off. A deflected Ronny free kick fell to Ramos, but his cross was only headed onto the Wolfsburg crossbar by Ben-Hatira (83.). The Wolves slightly fortunately began their hour long trip home with maximum points after what was a real smash and grab raid which took them up to sixth place in the Bundesliga table. Hertha are still handily placed in eighth.
The capital city side are on their travels again on matchday 22, as they fly south to take on strugglers VfB Stuttgart, who lost 1-4 in Hoffenheim this weekend.