Teams | March 21, 2015 at 01:36 AM
Victory in Hamburg!
Victory in Hamburg!
Sebastian Langkamp's first Hertha goal brought victory at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg.
Berlin - A late goal by Sebastian Langkamp secured maximum points away to HSV, as Hertha BSC won 1-0, watched by a huge crowd of 53,640 inside the Imtech Arena in a Bundesliga matchday 26 opener on Friday night (20.03.15). Hertha boss Pal Dardai kept faith with the side which played in Gelsenkirchen last time out. Nico Schulz returned from suspension but was only on the bench at first. Hamburg were missing their suspended first choice keeper - former Hertha stopper Jaroslav Drobny. René Adler took his place between the Rothosen posts. Djourou, van der Vaart and Müller got the nod over Ostrzolek, Gouaida and Jiracek (suspended).
As has been so often the case this season, Hertha began the game cautiously, hoping to hit the home side on the break while keeping things tight at the back. HSV took the early initiative and vÌsiting keeper Thomas Kraft was at full stretch to keep out an effort by Szoltan Stieber (6.). The resulting corner was headed over by Cleber Reis. The Brazilian then "scored", but match referee Christian Dingert saw a Cleber foul and disallowed the goal (12.). Hertha threatened for the first time after a quarter of an hour. Per Skjelbred did well to win possession in midfield before finding ƒnis Ben-Hatira, who tried to lob Adler coming out of his goal, but the Tunisian's effort landed on top of the goal (16.).
HSV rarely looked dangerous but had to be watched at set pieces. Raffael van der Vaart blasted the ball narrowly wide of the top corner from 25 metres out (25.). Six minutes beforehand the Dutchman had crossed onto the head of former Hertha striker Olic, who headed wide of target (19.). The capital city side were missing the final telling through ball to their front line, while HSV took 35 minutes after the break to make their next real effort, which was a wayward shot by Stieber from distance. On the stroke of halftime Kalou and Lustenberger combined to set up Ben-Hatira on the left. His effort was blocked by a timely challenge. There were no goals before the break.
Pál Dárdai replaced Ben-Hatira with Genki Haraguchi for the start of the second half, hoping to liven things up down the flanks. The game remained tense with both defences cancelling each other out, which kept goalmouth action to a minimum. Stocker and Stieber sent long range efforts well wide of target. Then a Plattenhardt cross found Stocker inside the box. But the Swiss striker headed wide while under pressure (61.). Kalou had a good scoring chance, but the Ivorian placed a free header into the centre of goal, allowing Adler to easily smother the ball (63.). Langkamp needed an excellent challenge to thwart Olic, after Brooks had lost the ball in a dangerous position (69.).
A man up and a goal in front
Nice approach work down the right ended in Pekarik crossing into the middle where Haraguchi was lurking. He controlled the ball but failed to beat Adler with a shot at his near post (74.). Jens Hegeler came on for Stocker 15 minutes from the end. Five minutes later Kraft was in action again, this time turning an Olic effort around a post for a corner (80.). After using his elbow in an aerial challenge, Cleber was sent off for a second yellow card, so the home side had to play out the remaining 9 minutes of normal time with only ten men. Moments later the deadlock was finally broken. Plattenhardt floated a free kick into the Hamburg box, where Langkamp rose to nod the ball past Adler and into the back of the net to give the visitors a late 1-0 win (84.).
(rd,war/City-Press)
As has been so often the case this season, Hertha began the game cautiously, hoping to hit the home side on the break while keeping things tight at the back. HSV took the early initiative and vÌsiting keeper Thomas Kraft was at full stretch to keep out an effort by Szoltan Stieber (6.). The resulting corner was headed over by Cleber Reis. The Brazilian then "scored", but match referee Christian Dingert saw a Cleber foul and disallowed the goal (12.). Hertha threatened for the first time after a quarter of an hour. Per Skjelbred did well to win possession in midfield before finding ƒnis Ben-Hatira, who tried to lob Adler coming out of his goal, but the Tunisian's effort landed on top of the goal (16.).
HSV rarely looked dangerous but had to be watched at set pieces. Raffael van der Vaart blasted the ball narrowly wide of the top corner from 25 metres out (25.). Six minutes beforehand the Dutchman had crossed onto the head of former Hertha striker Olic, who headed wide of target (19.). The capital city side were missing the final telling through ball to their front line, while HSV took 35 minutes after the break to make their next real effort, which was a wayward shot by Stieber from distance. On the stroke of halftime Kalou and Lustenberger combined to set up Ben-Hatira on the left. His effort was blocked by a timely challenge. There were no goals before the break.
Pál Dárdai replaced Ben-Hatira with Genki Haraguchi for the start of the second half, hoping to liven things up down the flanks. The game remained tense with both defences cancelling each other out, which kept goalmouth action to a minimum. Stocker and Stieber sent long range efforts well wide of target. Then a Plattenhardt cross found Stocker inside the box. But the Swiss striker headed wide while under pressure (61.). Kalou had a good scoring chance, but the Ivorian placed a free header into the centre of goal, allowing Adler to easily smother the ball (63.). Langkamp needed an excellent challenge to thwart Olic, after Brooks had lost the ball in a dangerous position (69.).
A man up and a goal in front
Nice approach work down the right ended in Pekarik crossing into the middle where Haraguchi was lurking. He controlled the ball but failed to beat Adler with a shot at his near post (74.). Jens Hegeler came on for Stocker 15 minutes from the end. Five minutes later Kraft was in action again, this time turning an Olic effort around a post for a corner (80.). After using his elbow in an aerial challenge, Cleber was sent off for a second yellow card, so the home side had to play out the remaining 9 minutes of normal time with only ten men. Moments later the deadlock was finally broken. Plattenhardt floated a free kick into the Hamburg box, where Langkamp rose to nod the ball past Adler and into the back of the net to give the visitors a late 1-0 win (84.).
(rd,war/City-Press)