Teams | February 28, 2015 at 09:44 PM
Kalou bags late winner!
Kalou bags late winner!
Hertha BSC beat FC Augsburg 1-0 thanks to an 88th minute strike by Salomon Kalou.
Berlin - Hertha picked up three crucial points on Saturday afternoon (28.02.15), beating FC Augsburg 1-0, in front of 36,015 at the Olympic stadium in the capital city. The home side left it late - very late! The only goal of the game came two minutes from full time as Salomon Kalou scored from close range. Home coach Pal Dardai was without the services injured striker Schieber and Stocker who was suspended. Their places were in the Berlin starting line-up were taken by Kalou and Skjelbred. Veteran defender Peter Niemeyer, Marvin Plattenhardt and Roy Beeens returned to the team as did Sebastian Langkamp the former Augsburg defender at the expense of Hegeler. FCA coach Markus Weinzierl made two changes to the side which drew 2-2 at home with Bayer Leverkusen on Bundesliga matchday 22, with Feulner and Caiuby getting the nod over Kohr and Ji.
Hertha began by building up slowly from the back, and on 7 minutes Beerens found Kalou inside the Augsburg box, where it took a timely challenge by Klavan to prevent the Africa Cup winner from getting a shot away. Just two minutes later Beerens ghosted past three Augsburg men down the left wing before crossing to the far post where Kalou was lurking. This time the former Chelsea man tried to score with a bicycle kick but failed to get past Baba (9.). The visitors passed the ball around fairly well without creating much danger at first - unlike Hertha, who mounted lightning quick counter attacks as soon as the won possession. Beerens sprinted down the right wing and crossed into the middle to Kalou, who narrowly failed to reach the ball properly so a wayward header was the result (23.).
Tight home defence
Augsburg threatened for the first time as Feulner sent a long distance effort well wide of the target (27.). Moments later things were closer as Baba floated a ball into the path of Raul Bobadilla, whose shot flew narrowly past the right hand upright. Hertha remained solid at the back, rarely allowing the visitors a glimpse of goal, although on one occasion Niemeyer had to clear the ball away for a corner before Caiuby could pull the trigger. Klavan got a shot away from the corner, but it only found the arms of Berlin keeper Thomas Kraft. That was the final action of the opening half which ended goalless.
Both sides emerged from the break unchanged. Augsburg tried to get forward more but the home defence remained in miserly mood. At the other end Schulz fed a fine through ball into the path of Skjelbred, but the Norwegian could only fire his shot wide of the right hand post (50.). Augsburg's Feulner then had a shot easily saved by Kraft. Plattenhardt's free kick found Kalou, but the Ivorian failed to control the ball at the far post. Schulz tried his luck from distance but blazed the ball well over the crossbar (56.). Schluz was then taken off to be replaced by Marcel Ndjeng. The combination of Plattenhardt/Kalou once again posed a threat, but Kalou could not get his head to the ball properly so it wwas easy pickings for Augsburg stopper Hitz (60.).
Crucial late winner
Niggly fouls began to creep in, interrupting the flow of the game. Goalmouth action was a rarity - mainly because Hertha's defence remained water tight. ƒnis Ben-Hatira celebrated his comeback from injury fifteen minutes from the end, replacing Pekarik who was forced off through injury. The Tunisian began well too, breaking down the left flank at pace, where it took another timely Augsburg tackle to prevent Berlin skipper Fabian Lustenberger from scoring as he stood unmarked (78.). Pal D·rdai then brought on Jens Hegeler for Skjelbred, who had picked up a fifth booking, which sees him miss the visit of Hertha to VfB Stuttgart next time out. Niemeyer missed with a long distance effort while at the other end Hˆjberg followed suit with a direct free kick from over 20 metres out. The home side and their fans were finally put out of their misery as a long throw in by Ndjeng found Hegeler, who in turn passed to the far post where Kalou netted from point blank range to open the scoring (88.).
Three minutes of added time passed without incident before the referee blew time on a crucial victory for Pal Dardai and Co. The capital city side are in action again next Friday night (06.03.15, 8.30 pm), as they travel south to meet fellow strugglers VfB Stuttgart under former Hertha coach Huub Stevens on matchday 24.
(rd,war/City-Press)
Hertha began by building up slowly from the back, and on 7 minutes Beerens found Kalou inside the Augsburg box, where it took a timely challenge by Klavan to prevent the Africa Cup winner from getting a shot away. Just two minutes later Beerens ghosted past three Augsburg men down the left wing before crossing to the far post where Kalou was lurking. This time the former Chelsea man tried to score with a bicycle kick but failed to get past Baba (9.). The visitors passed the ball around fairly well without creating much danger at first - unlike Hertha, who mounted lightning quick counter attacks as soon as the won possession. Beerens sprinted down the right wing and crossed into the middle to Kalou, who narrowly failed to reach the ball properly so a wayward header was the result (23.).
Tight home defence
Augsburg threatened for the first time as Feulner sent a long distance effort well wide of the target (27.). Moments later things were closer as Baba floated a ball into the path of Raul Bobadilla, whose shot flew narrowly past the right hand upright. Hertha remained solid at the back, rarely allowing the visitors a glimpse of goal, although on one occasion Niemeyer had to clear the ball away for a corner before Caiuby could pull the trigger. Klavan got a shot away from the corner, but it only found the arms of Berlin keeper Thomas Kraft. That was the final action of the opening half which ended goalless.
Both sides emerged from the break unchanged. Augsburg tried to get forward more but the home defence remained in miserly mood. At the other end Schulz fed a fine through ball into the path of Skjelbred, but the Norwegian could only fire his shot wide of the right hand post (50.). Augsburg's Feulner then had a shot easily saved by Kraft. Plattenhardt's free kick found Kalou, but the Ivorian failed to control the ball at the far post. Schulz tried his luck from distance but blazed the ball well over the crossbar (56.). Schluz was then taken off to be replaced by Marcel Ndjeng. The combination of Plattenhardt/Kalou once again posed a threat, but Kalou could not get his head to the ball properly so it wwas easy pickings for Augsburg stopper Hitz (60.).
Crucial late winner
Niggly fouls began to creep in, interrupting the flow of the game. Goalmouth action was a rarity - mainly because Hertha's defence remained water tight. ƒnis Ben-Hatira celebrated his comeback from injury fifteen minutes from the end, replacing Pekarik who was forced off through injury. The Tunisian began well too, breaking down the left flank at pace, where it took another timely Augsburg tackle to prevent Berlin skipper Fabian Lustenberger from scoring as he stood unmarked (78.). Pal D·rdai then brought on Jens Hegeler for Skjelbred, who had picked up a fifth booking, which sees him miss the visit of Hertha to VfB Stuttgart next time out. Niemeyer missed with a long distance effort while at the other end Hˆjberg followed suit with a direct free kick from over 20 metres out. The home side and their fans were finally put out of their misery as a long throw in by Ndjeng found Hegeler, who in turn passed to the far post where Kalou netted from point blank range to open the scoring (88.).
Three minutes of added time passed without incident before the referee blew time on a crucial victory for Pal Dardai and Co. The capital city side are in action again next Friday night (06.03.15, 8.30 pm), as they travel south to meet fellow strugglers VfB Stuttgart under former Hertha coach Huub Stevens on matchday 24.
(rd,war/City-Press)