Teams | October 4, 2014 at 05:57 PM
Great fightback! Hertha beat VfB 3-2 in Berlin!
Great fightback! Hertha beat VfB 3-2 in Berlin!
Hertha came from behind to beat VfB Stuttgart, and record a second consecutive home win.
Berlin - Hertha opened Bundesliga matchday 7 with a crucial home win - their second in a row. Despite going behind to an early goal, coach Jos Luhukay's men fought back to beat VfB Stuttgart 3-2, in front of 46,313 at the floodlit Olympic Stadium in the capital city on Friday night (03.10.14). Nico Schulz's return for the Berliners from suspension saw Peter Pekarik take over at right back. Änis Ben-Hatira and Valentin Stocker lined up alongside each other in midfield for the first time this season. They replaced Ronny und Haraguchi. Visiting coach Armin Veh made two changes to the team which beat Hannover 96 at home by a solitary goal last time out: Divavi (injured) was replaced by Filip Kostic, while up front Vedad Ibisevic got the nod over Timo Werner.
After an even openeing few minutes the first chance of the game also led to the deadlock being broken. Stuttgart's Florian Klein was played into acres of space down the right by an unexpected back-heel from Ibisevic. The Austrian cut inside to easily set up Moritz Leitner for a simple tap in (5.). Hertha fought back and could have equalised moments later, had Fabian Lustenberger got better direction on his header following a floated free kick by Ben-Hatira (6.). Not long afterwards Ben-Hatira himself won possession high up the field, only to fail to connect with an intended one-two with Stocker by the narrowest of margins (9.). Only 60 seconds later Hertha summer signing Salomon Kalou had Stuttgart keeper Thorsten Kirschbaum using all of his considerable length to keep out the former Chelsea forward's effort (10.).
Equaliser from the spot
The home side kept the pressure on the visitors and were finally rewarded on 22 minutes, as Kirschbaum could only parry an effort by Stocker. As he went for the rebound, Swiss international Stocker (25 caps) was unfairly brought down inside the area by Stuttgart's Carlos Gruezo, and the resulting penalty was slotted home by Kalou for his second goal of the season. The next chance fell to Ben-Hatira, whose attempted chip from 30 metres out turned out to be too low (23.). Veh made the Stuttgart first change of the evening by introducing Werner for Gruezo. Ben-Hatira was then thwarted by Kirschbaum after being superbly set up by Schulz (28.). Moments before, Hertha keeper Thomas Kraft was called into action to easily deal with an effort by Klein at his near post (27.) Six minutes later Kalou failed to get enough power on a header after receiving a pinpoint cross from the right delivered by Beerens. Kraft then launced a swift counter attack after dealing with a weak Stuttgart cross. The keeper initiated a move which involved Stocker und Ben-Hatira. The final effort by Beerens however was easily dealt with by Kirschbaum between the VfB posts(45.). The game was nicely poised at 1-1, as match referee Deniz Aytekin blew time on the opening half.
The teams came out for the second half unchanged. Stuttgart created two early chances for Werner during a pressure period, but Kraft was on his guard both times to keep them at bay (50.). Midway through the half the home side began to create some pressure of their own. On 65 minutes Skjelbred got the ball in midfield from where he found Stocker, who sent Kalou on his way. The Ivory Coast man did not have to be asked twice as he fired Hertha ahead following a classy run. Kalou was then taken off to great applause by Luhukay and replaced by Sandro Wagner. Peter Niemeyer also replaced hard-working Heitinga at the same time. Stuttgart struggled to threaten and only had a shot by Kostic which hit the side netting to show for their endeavours (72.).
Beerens scores crucial third
The goalmouth action became rarer the longer the game went on, but Hertha still mamaged to take one of the chances they created, as Ben-Hatira played the ball deep into the Stuttgart danger zone from the left edge of the box, where Beerens was lurking to make it 3-1 to the home side with another simple tap in (74.). Ben-Hatira who had worked tirelessly all game was then replaced by Hegeler. The visitors were not finished yet though. A precise cross saw Ibisevic head the ball agonisingly wide of the far post (77.). Niggly fouls became the name of the game as the home side tried to maintain their two-goal lead. VfB used one of their free kicks to pull a goal back. Leitner crossed the ball into the Berlin box from the byline, and unlucky Berlin substitute striker Wagner could only look on in horror as he back-headed the ball into his own net (83.).
Luckily for the home side, Stuttgart had little more to offer, apart from a wayward effort from distance by Leitner which missed the target on the right (89.). Celebrations started shortly afterwards as time was blown on Hertha's second successive home victory to enter the impending break for international games on a positive. Hertha are in action again on matchday 8 when they travel to the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, where they will lock horns with Schalke (18.10.14) in a Saturday evening game which kicks off at 6.30 pm.
After an even openeing few minutes the first chance of the game also led to the deadlock being broken. Stuttgart's Florian Klein was played into acres of space down the right by an unexpected back-heel from Ibisevic. The Austrian cut inside to easily set up Moritz Leitner for a simple tap in (5.). Hertha fought back and could have equalised moments later, had Fabian Lustenberger got better direction on his header following a floated free kick by Ben-Hatira (6.). Not long afterwards Ben-Hatira himself won possession high up the field, only to fail to connect with an intended one-two with Stocker by the narrowest of margins (9.). Only 60 seconds later Hertha summer signing Salomon Kalou had Stuttgart keeper Thorsten Kirschbaum using all of his considerable length to keep out the former Chelsea forward's effort (10.).
Equaliser from the spot
The home side kept the pressure on the visitors and were finally rewarded on 22 minutes, as Kirschbaum could only parry an effort by Stocker. As he went for the rebound, Swiss international Stocker (25 caps) was unfairly brought down inside the area by Stuttgart's Carlos Gruezo, and the resulting penalty was slotted home by Kalou for his second goal of the season. The next chance fell to Ben-Hatira, whose attempted chip from 30 metres out turned out to be too low (23.). Veh made the Stuttgart first change of the evening by introducing Werner for Gruezo. Ben-Hatira was then thwarted by Kirschbaum after being superbly set up by Schulz (28.). Moments before, Hertha keeper Thomas Kraft was called into action to easily deal with an effort by Klein at his near post (27.) Six minutes later Kalou failed to get enough power on a header after receiving a pinpoint cross from the right delivered by Beerens. Kraft then launced a swift counter attack after dealing with a weak Stuttgart cross. The keeper initiated a move which involved Stocker und Ben-Hatira. The final effort by Beerens however was easily dealt with by Kirschbaum between the VfB posts(45.). The game was nicely poised at 1-1, as match referee Deniz Aytekin blew time on the opening half.
The teams came out for the second half unchanged. Stuttgart created two early chances for Werner during a pressure period, but Kraft was on his guard both times to keep them at bay (50.). Midway through the half the home side began to create some pressure of their own. On 65 minutes Skjelbred got the ball in midfield from where he found Stocker, who sent Kalou on his way. The Ivory Coast man did not have to be asked twice as he fired Hertha ahead following a classy run. Kalou was then taken off to great applause by Luhukay and replaced by Sandro Wagner. Peter Niemeyer also replaced hard-working Heitinga at the same time. Stuttgart struggled to threaten and only had a shot by Kostic which hit the side netting to show for their endeavours (72.).
Beerens scores crucial third
The goalmouth action became rarer the longer the game went on, but Hertha still mamaged to take one of the chances they created, as Ben-Hatira played the ball deep into the Stuttgart danger zone from the left edge of the box, where Beerens was lurking to make it 3-1 to the home side with another simple tap in (74.). Ben-Hatira who had worked tirelessly all game was then replaced by Hegeler. The visitors were not finished yet though. A precise cross saw Ibisevic head the ball agonisingly wide of the far post (77.). Niggly fouls became the name of the game as the home side tried to maintain their two-goal lead. VfB used one of their free kicks to pull a goal back. Leitner crossed the ball into the Berlin box from the byline, and unlucky Berlin substitute striker Wagner could only look on in horror as he back-headed the ball into his own net (83.).
Luckily for the home side, Stuttgart had little more to offer, apart from a wayward effort from distance by Leitner which missed the target on the right (89.). Celebrations started shortly afterwards as time was blown on Hertha's second successive home victory to enter the impending break for international games on a positive. Hertha are in action again on matchday 8 when they travel to the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, where they will lock horns with Schalke (18.10.14) in a Saturday evening game which kicks off at 6.30 pm.