Teams | August 24, 2015 at 11:44 AM
Shared spoils, comeback and premiere
Shared spoils, comeback and premiere
Alexander Baumjohann and Mitchell Weiser featured in Hertha BSC's 1-1 home draw with Werder Bremen.
Berlin - Hertha BSC drew 1-1 in the opening game of Bundesliga matchday 2, in front of 56,376 at the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Friday night. Hertha began the stronger side and took an early lead through Valentin Stocker (6.), before Bremen equalised out of the blue through Anthony Ujah (27.). Both teams created chances after the break but were unable to convert any of them.
Home coach Pál Dardai was without Dutch winger Roy Beerens who was sent off in the 1-0 win at Augsburg last time out. His place on the right wing went to Japanese midfielder Genki Haraguchi. The Berlin boss saw no further reason to change that winning team. On the good news side Alexander Baumjohann and Mitchell Weiser made the 18-man squad.
The Berliners began focused and determined and were rewarded on 6 minutes, when Valentin Stocker rifled home a superb left foot shot from the edge of the area to silence the 8,000 travelling Werder fans. There wasn't a great deal to see from the visiors after that as Hertha pushed forward trying to increase their advantage. On 15 minutes Haraguchi did some excellent approach work before setting up Jens Hegeler. The latter however narrowly failed to reach his excellent through ball. Hertha continued to press but Werder scored out of the blue with their first chance of the game, after home keeper Thomas Kraft left his line but failed to reach a cross, allowing Bremen's Anthony Ujah to poke home the equaliser from close range (27.). That success boosted the visitors who began to get more of a foothold in the game, without it must be said seriously troubling the home defence. The game was nicely poised at 1-1 at halftime.
Hertha once again made the brighter start to the second half after (like Bremen) emerging unchanged. Stocker missed three further good chances (50., 51., 54.), failing to beat Bremen stopper Felix Wiedwald. Vladimir Darida also went close with a shot which only found the side netting (66.). Midway through the half Werder began to venture forward again. Hertha were counting their lucky stars late on as the visitors hit the crossbar and a post during a period of pressure (81., 82.). Dardai then brought on summer signing Mitchell Weiser to make his debut and then Alexander Baumjohann, who had been sidelined for 16 months after suffering two cruciate ligament injuries. The final Hertha substitute was USA defender John Anthony Brooks who went up front after coming on and even had a late chance in injury time, but a Bremen leg blocked his effort in the nick of time.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw. That point was enough to send Hertha to the top of the table before the teams below them play on Saturday and Sunday. After taking an early lead and playing so well early on, Hertha must have felt that victory was on the cards. But Bremen struck back at the perfect time and in the end were well worth the point they took home with them. Next Sunday (30.08.15 3.30 pm), the capital city side are in action again as they visit the magnificent Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, where Borussia Dortmund await them for a matchday 3 encounter.
(rd,war/City-Press)
Home coach Pál Dardai was without Dutch winger Roy Beerens who was sent off in the 1-0 win at Augsburg last time out. His place on the right wing went to Japanese midfielder Genki Haraguchi. The Berlin boss saw no further reason to change that winning team. On the good news side Alexander Baumjohann and Mitchell Weiser made the 18-man squad.
The Berliners began focused and determined and were rewarded on 6 minutes, when Valentin Stocker rifled home a superb left foot shot from the edge of the area to silence the 8,000 travelling Werder fans. There wasn't a great deal to see from the visiors after that as Hertha pushed forward trying to increase their advantage. On 15 minutes Haraguchi did some excellent approach work before setting up Jens Hegeler. The latter however narrowly failed to reach his excellent through ball. Hertha continued to press but Werder scored out of the blue with their first chance of the game, after home keeper Thomas Kraft left his line but failed to reach a cross, allowing Bremen's Anthony Ujah to poke home the equaliser from close range (27.). That success boosted the visitors who began to get more of a foothold in the game, without it must be said seriously troubling the home defence. The game was nicely poised at 1-1 at halftime.
Hertha once again made the brighter start to the second half after (like Bremen) emerging unchanged. Stocker missed three further good chances (50., 51., 54.), failing to beat Bremen stopper Felix Wiedwald. Vladimir Darida also went close with a shot which only found the side netting (66.). Midway through the half Werder began to venture forward again. Hertha were counting their lucky stars late on as the visitors hit the crossbar and a post during a period of pressure (81., 82.). Dardai then brought on summer signing Mitchell Weiser to make his debut and then Alexander Baumjohann, who had been sidelined for 16 months after suffering two cruciate ligament injuries. The final Hertha substitute was USA defender John Anthony Brooks who went up front after coming on and even had a late chance in injury time, but a Bremen leg blocked his effort in the nick of time.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw. That point was enough to send Hertha to the top of the table before the teams below them play on Saturday and Sunday. After taking an early lead and playing so well early on, Hertha must have felt that victory was on the cards. But Bremen struck back at the perfect time and in the end were well worth the point they took home with them. Next Sunday (30.08.15 3.30 pm), the capital city side are in action again as they visit the magnificent Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, where Borussia Dortmund await them for a matchday 3 encounter.
(rd,war/City-Press)