Teams | October 29, 2014 at 09:40 AM
Out!
Out!
Hertha BSC lost to Arminia Bielefeld on penalties, shelving their final hopes for another year.
Bielefeld - Hertha BSC said goodbye to their dream of playing a DFB Cup final at their own stadium on Tuesday night, as they exited the DFB Cup in the second round after losing away to third division table-toppers Armenia Bielefeld following a penalty shoot out (2-4) after goalless regular time. Berlin coach Jos Luhukay was forced to make changes to the side which easily beat HSV 3-0 at home in the Bundesliga last weekend: Injured trio Ben-Hatira, Schulz and Skjelbred were replaced by Genki Haraguchi, Marcel Ndjeng and Jens Hegeler. USA international John Anthony Brooks got the nod over John Heitinga in central defence. Armenia beat Erfurt in division three at the weekend and their coach Norbert Meyer was also forced to ring the changes. Curiously, one former Hertha man replaced another as Peer Kluge started ahead of Müller, while Julian Börner got the nod over Ulm.
As expected the home side let Hertha come at them,as they sat back and concentrated on defence early on. The visitors had more possession but all forward moves fizzled out as they reached the Bielefeld box. Salomon Kalou was narrowly caught offside after 6 minutes. The home side began to venture forward after around ten minutes and began to threaten. Berlin keeper Kraft pulled off a superb stop to keep out a Schütz header, before easily dealing with a Börner header following the ensuing corner (13.).
Kalou header well saved
Valentin Stocker then broke well down the right before cutting inside and firing a shot well wide of target (20.). Moments later at the other end Schütz was nicely set up Schütz inside the Hertha area, but sent a shot well wide of the left hand upright (21.). Kalou had Hertha’s best chance as he got his head to a nicely weighted cross from the right. The former Chelsea striker could only look on as home stopper Schwolow somehow tipped it around a post for a corner (25.). Armenia looked dangerous on the break and the (on paper) difference in class was never really apparent. On 33 minutes a timely Hertha challenge to thwart Hemlein as he latched onto a good cross from the left by Mast. The game was nicely poised at 0-0 as the halftime whistle sounded.
No changes were made during the break and the home side fired an opening warning shot as Mast aimed too far right of goal (50.). It was the first and for quite a while last shot on goal. Bielefeld remained parked inside their own half while the Bundesliga visitors struggled to find a way through. Luhukay brought on Ronny for Stocker after just over an hour. Ronny’s first ball contact was a shot from the left edge of the home box which fizzed just wide the left hand post (63.). Hertha seemed to find a better way to nip any Bielefeld danger in the bud than they did before the break. They played with patience going forward but were unable to find a way through. Hegeler tried his luck from distance but Schwolow could ignore the effort as it sailed well wide of target (76.).
Penalty shoot-out misery
Bielefeld continued to defend with ten men behind the ball so no goals ware scored during the opening 90 minutes. Moments into extra time Roy Beerens cut in from the right only to have his shot blocked by Börner (91.). Kraft was in acion again as he was called upon to deal with a harmless header (100.). Luhukay brought on Sandro Wagner for Beerens at the start of the second half of extra time, but scoring chances remained a rarity to say the least. Kraft then did well to parry a dangerous ball across the face of goal to prevent a Bielefeld player from nodding homewhat would have been a certain winner 112.).
There were no further goals after 90 or 120 minutes so a penalty shoot-out was needed to find a winner. Klos and Ronny both scored with theirs, before Kraft saved an effort by Salger. After that Hegeler and Ulm scored for Bielefeld, but Hertha’s Schieber’s spot kick was saved by Schwolow. Brinkmann then fired Armenia ahead again before Wagner had his saved by Schwolow. Lorenz then scored the winning spot kick to send the home crowd home happy and Hertha back to the capital a beaten side losing 2-4. Hertha’s next game is on Sunday (02.11.14, 17.30) not far from Bielefeld as Luhukay and Co. face SC Paderborn away on Bundesliga matchday 10.
As expected the home side let Hertha come at them,as they sat back and concentrated on defence early on. The visitors had more possession but all forward moves fizzled out as they reached the Bielefeld box. Salomon Kalou was narrowly caught offside after 6 minutes. The home side began to venture forward after around ten minutes and began to threaten. Berlin keeper Kraft pulled off a superb stop to keep out a Schütz header, before easily dealing with a Börner header following the ensuing corner (13.).
Kalou header well saved
Valentin Stocker then broke well down the right before cutting inside and firing a shot well wide of target (20.). Moments later at the other end Schütz was nicely set up Schütz inside the Hertha area, but sent a shot well wide of the left hand upright (21.). Kalou had Hertha’s best chance as he got his head to a nicely weighted cross from the right. The former Chelsea striker could only look on as home stopper Schwolow somehow tipped it around a post for a corner (25.). Armenia looked dangerous on the break and the (on paper) difference in class was never really apparent. On 33 minutes a timely Hertha challenge to thwart Hemlein as he latched onto a good cross from the left by Mast. The game was nicely poised at 0-0 as the halftime whistle sounded.
No changes were made during the break and the home side fired an opening warning shot as Mast aimed too far right of goal (50.). It was the first and for quite a while last shot on goal. Bielefeld remained parked inside their own half while the Bundesliga visitors struggled to find a way through. Luhukay brought on Ronny for Stocker after just over an hour. Ronny’s first ball contact was a shot from the left edge of the home box which fizzed just wide the left hand post (63.). Hertha seemed to find a better way to nip any Bielefeld danger in the bud than they did before the break. They played with patience going forward but were unable to find a way through. Hegeler tried his luck from distance but Schwolow could ignore the effort as it sailed well wide of target (76.).
Penalty shoot-out misery
Bielefeld continued to defend with ten men behind the ball so no goals ware scored during the opening 90 minutes. Moments into extra time Roy Beerens cut in from the right only to have his shot blocked by Börner (91.). Kraft was in acion again as he was called upon to deal with a harmless header (100.). Luhukay brought on Sandro Wagner for Beerens at the start of the second half of extra time, but scoring chances remained a rarity to say the least. Kraft then did well to parry a dangerous ball across the face of goal to prevent a Bielefeld player from nodding homewhat would have been a certain winner 112.).
There were no further goals after 90 or 120 minutes so a penalty shoot-out was needed to find a winner. Klos and Ronny both scored with theirs, before Kraft saved an effort by Salger. After that Hegeler and Ulm scored for Bielefeld, but Hertha’s Schieber’s spot kick was saved by Schwolow. Brinkmann then fired Armenia ahead again before Wagner had his saved by Schwolow. Lorenz then scored the winning spot kick to send the home crowd home happy and Hertha back to the capital a beaten side losing 2-4. Hertha’s next game is on Sunday (02.11.14, 17.30) not far from Bielefeld as Luhukay and Co. face SC Paderborn away on Bundesliga matchday 10.