Home win! Hertha beat VfL Wolfsburg 1-0

Berlin - Hertha BSC finally won their first game of the new season on Wednesday night (24.09.14). A crowd of 35,847 at the Olympic stadium in the capital city saw a solitary 35th minute goal by new signing Salomon Kalou beat the visitors VfL Wolfsburg 1-0 on Bundesliga matchday 5. Berlin boss Jos Luhukay was forced to reshuffle his starting line-up, following the sending off of Nico Schulz late on in the 2-2 draw in Freiburg at the weekend. The Dutchman opted to play Peter Pekarik on the left of defence, while Marcel Ndjeng  played opposite him at right back, with captain Fabian Lustenberger and John Heitinga, (who replaced Brooks) completing the back line New signing Salomon Kalou got the nod over Schieber and Per Skjelbred replaced Hegeler. Visiting coach Dieter Hecking made two changes to the side which beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on matchday 4: Olic and Klose came in at the expense of Caligiuri and Knoche.

Before kick off both teams literally showed racism a red card, with a show of solidarity against it. The early stages were riddled with misplaced passes on both sides and a lack of telling ideas what to do with the ball when in possession. Former Arsenal man Niklas Bendtner let fly from the edge of the Hertha box only to see the effort blocked (12.). The Niedersachsen-based visitors had more of the early possession, while Hertha tried to get forward at pace after winning the second ball. On 18 minutes Haraguchi tried a diagonal ball to Kalou, who narrowly missed out on a race for the ball with Wolves keeper Diego Benaglio. Kalou was involved again not long afterwards but lost out in a one on one duel with vastly-experienced Brazilian defender Naldo (22.).

Kalou scores from Ndjeng cross

The tempo of the game picked up somewhat midway through the opening half. Hajime Hosogai latched onto a Ronny corner, only to be thwarted by Benaglio's timely challenge (27.), as the keeper scrambled the ball away for another corner. At the other end Berlin stopper Thomas Kraft prevented the Wolves from taking the lead with a superb reflex save to deny Vierinha (30.). Then Roy Beerens broke down the right for Hertha, but Naldo reached his cross before the much smaller Haraguchi (32.). Kalou went one better only three minutes later, when he nodded home a superb cross by Ndjeng to open the scoring and also his scoring account at Hertha (35.). Wolfsburg tried to strike back, but after a wayward effort from distance by Kevin de Bruyne (38.) and Kraft winning a duel with Olic (40.), the capital city side clung onto their slender one goal lead until the break. 

Hertha were unchanged at the start of the second half. The game became more intense as Wolfsburg desperately searched for an equaliser, putting the home side under a lot of pressure. Hertha's defence however was in miserly mood, while quickly switching to attack whenever they had the chance. It took until the hour mark before the Wolves threatened again as Bendtner got his boot to a cross from the right. The Scandinavian's effort flew wide of goal. Second half Wolfsburg substitute Daniel Caliguiri then aimed too high from distance (64.).

Hertha keep calm and win!

Kalou  had a gilt-edged chance to make it 2-0, rounding off a quick counter attack involving Beerens, Skjelbred and Haraguchi. The former Chelsea forward looked to the heavens in disbelief as Benaglio produced a top drawer save to deny him (70.). Jos Luhukay introduced fresh legs to the fray, bringing on Jens Hegeler and Sandro Wagner for Heitinga and Kalou. The visitors continued pressing forward but brave Hertha kept them at bay. Kraft needed two attempts to finally smother a long pot from Rodriguez (82.). Peter Niemeyer replaced Ronny for the final moments of the game.

With the vociferous East stand cheering them on, Hertha gave everything and kept the Wolves at bay during four minutes of injury time added on at the end of the game. Hertha fought their way to a deserved first win of the new Bundesliga season, and have the wind in their sails ahead of their matchday 6 trip to FC Augsburg on Sunday (28.09.14, 3.30 pm).