Teams | April 6, 2014 at 11:53 PM
1-1: Home draw with Hoffenheim
1-1: Home draw with Hoffenheim
Hertha and Hoffenheim drew 1-1 on matchday 29 at the Olympic stadium.
Berlin - Hertha BSC versus TSG Hoffenheim was the final match of matchday 29. A crowd of 43,874 inside the Olympic stadium saw a decent Bundesliga game which ended in a 1-1 draw. Hertha keeper Thomas Kraft returned between the Hertha posts after his wife recently gave birth. Young hopeful stopper Jarstein reverted to the bench. Cigerci missed out through suspension after getting a fifth booking away to Schalke last time out. His place in the side went to Hajime Hosogai. John Anthony Brooks, Peter Pekarik and Ronny got the nod over Kobiashvili, Schulz and Wagner. Pekarik played at left back opposite Ndjeng. Visiting coach Markus Gisdol was without Grahl and Modeste. They were replaced by Casteels and Tarik Elyounoussi.
The game began with plenty of intensity and some tough tackles, much to the delight of the healthy crowd watching the game. Danger first threatened as Ndjeng ran into Hoffenheim's area, from where he pulled the ball back from the by line only to find no takers (3.). Hertha quickly switched from defence to attack after winning possession in midfield. Per Skjelbred placed a perfectly weighted header into the path of Sami Allagui, who breezed past Vestergaard before finishing well with a shot from the edge of the TSG box. 1-0 to Hertha (12.). The visitors' opening chance came six minutes after the home side took the lead. Ndjeng deflected an effort by Tobias Strobl past a post and away for a corner (18.). Only seconds later Ben-Hatira brilliantly found his way into the opposing box from where he set up Skjelbred, who in turn failed to cause any danger with his harmless effort (19.).
Ramos misses good chance
Midway through the opening half niggly fouls became the order of the day so goalmouth action was a rare thing. On 30 minutes Hoffenheim's Eugen Polanski let fly from distance, beating Kraft to drag his team back to parity. Roberto Firmino had a great chance soon afterwards but was denied by a superb stop by Kraft (33.). Jos Luhukay's men continued to press forward. Ronny played a through ball to Allagui down the left wing. But his ball towards Ramos was cleared in the nick of time by Vestergaard (36.). Hertha's Columbian top scorer had the best chance of the half moments before the halftime whistle. But Casteel's challenge did well to save a shot which was heading into goal at the far post. The game was nicely poised at 1-1 at the break.
Ramos threatened again early in the second half. But after being found by Ben-Hatira with a quickly taken throw in he failed to fire Hertha in front again from close range (48.). Both sides went in search of a second goal but both were missing the final telling pass to the front men. After an hour Luhukay had seen enough and brought on Alexander Baumjohann for Brooks, while Hosogai reverted to central defence. Baumjohann was in the thick of it right away as he found Allagui with a crisp through ball. Luckily for the visitors, their keeper Casteels was on hand to reach the ball ahead of the Tunisian (67.). At the other end and out of the blue former Hertha man Salihovic bore down on Kraft alone, but could only send his shot agonisingly wide of the far post (69.).
Keepers ensure shared spoils
Peter Pekarik who joined the Hertha front line whenever possible got a shot away from just inside the TSG box. His effort however only found the side netting (76.). Moments beforehand Hoffenheim keeper Casteels was taken off after a collision with Ramos and was replaced by Alexander Stolz. Hertha never gave up their search for a second and decisive goal. Ramos cleverly left a Baumjohann pass for Ben-Hatira. Hoffenheim's Fabian Johnson required a last ditch challenge to deny the Hertha striker, who was then replaced by Sandro Wagner in a like for like move by Luhukay. The substitute began well by setting up Ramos, who lost out in a one on one situation with new keeper Stolz (86.). Moments later Stolz saved a Ronny free kick superbly, tipping it over his crossbar with a flying save (87.).
In the final minute everyone held their breath as Hosogai back headed a Hoffenheim free kick millimetres wide of his own goal . Four minutes were added on during which Kraft needed his experience and talent to keep out a free kick from Kai Herdling from the edge of the area. The final whistle was then blown and Hertha had stopped the rot of four pointless games. On Sunday (13.04.14), Luhukay and Co, travel to the BayArena where struggling Bayer Leverkusen await them for an interesting matchday 30 encounter.
The game began with plenty of intensity and some tough tackles, much to the delight of the healthy crowd watching the game. Danger first threatened as Ndjeng ran into Hoffenheim's area, from where he pulled the ball back from the by line only to find no takers (3.). Hertha quickly switched from defence to attack after winning possession in midfield. Per Skjelbred placed a perfectly weighted header into the path of Sami Allagui, who breezed past Vestergaard before finishing well with a shot from the edge of the TSG box. 1-0 to Hertha (12.). The visitors' opening chance came six minutes after the home side took the lead. Ndjeng deflected an effort by Tobias Strobl past a post and away for a corner (18.). Only seconds later Ben-Hatira brilliantly found his way into the opposing box from where he set up Skjelbred, who in turn failed to cause any danger with his harmless effort (19.).
Ramos misses good chance
Midway through the opening half niggly fouls became the order of the day so goalmouth action was a rare thing. On 30 minutes Hoffenheim's Eugen Polanski let fly from distance, beating Kraft to drag his team back to parity. Roberto Firmino had a great chance soon afterwards but was denied by a superb stop by Kraft (33.). Jos Luhukay's men continued to press forward. Ronny played a through ball to Allagui down the left wing. But his ball towards Ramos was cleared in the nick of time by Vestergaard (36.). Hertha's Columbian top scorer had the best chance of the half moments before the halftime whistle. But Casteel's challenge did well to save a shot which was heading into goal at the far post. The game was nicely poised at 1-1 at the break.
Ramos threatened again early in the second half. But after being found by Ben-Hatira with a quickly taken throw in he failed to fire Hertha in front again from close range (48.). Both sides went in search of a second goal but both were missing the final telling pass to the front men. After an hour Luhukay had seen enough and brought on Alexander Baumjohann for Brooks, while Hosogai reverted to central defence. Baumjohann was in the thick of it right away as he found Allagui with a crisp through ball. Luckily for the visitors, their keeper Casteels was on hand to reach the ball ahead of the Tunisian (67.). At the other end and out of the blue former Hertha man Salihovic bore down on Kraft alone, but could only send his shot agonisingly wide of the far post (69.).
Keepers ensure shared spoils
Peter Pekarik who joined the Hertha front line whenever possible got a shot away from just inside the TSG box. His effort however only found the side netting (76.). Moments beforehand Hoffenheim keeper Casteels was taken off after a collision with Ramos and was replaced by Alexander Stolz. Hertha never gave up their search for a second and decisive goal. Ramos cleverly left a Baumjohann pass for Ben-Hatira. Hoffenheim's Fabian Johnson required a last ditch challenge to deny the Hertha striker, who was then replaced by Sandro Wagner in a like for like move by Luhukay. The substitute began well by setting up Ramos, who lost out in a one on one situation with new keeper Stolz (86.). Moments later Stolz saved a Ronny free kick superbly, tipping it over his crossbar with a flying save (87.).
In the final minute everyone held their breath as Hosogai back headed a Hoffenheim free kick millimetres wide of his own goal . Four minutes were added on during which Kraft needed his experience and talent to keep out a free kick from Kai Herdling from the edge of the area. The final whistle was then blown and Hertha had stopped the rot of four pointless games. On Sunday (13.04.14), Luhukay and Co, travel to the BayArena where struggling Bayer Leverkusen await them for an interesting matchday 30 encounter.