Teams | April 21, 2016 at 01:45 AM
Thanks anyway guys!
Thanks anyway guys!
Hertha BSC lost 0-3 at home to in-form Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Cup semi-final at the Olympic stadium. What remain are memories of an historic cup run!
Berlin - It simply wasn’t to be. The team under head coach Pál Dárdai lost 0-3 at home to Borussia in a one-sided match in front of 76,233 at the Olympic stadium in the capital city on Wednesday night (20.04.16). We are left with wonderful memories of a fantastic cup season that warmed the hearts of Hertha fans and allowed us all to dream for a while.
Pál Dárdai made two changes to his side which played Hoffenheim last weekend, with injured duo Vladimir Darida and right back Peter Pekarik making way Jens Hegeler and Mitchell Weiser in the team. Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel made even more changes to the Borussia side which beat HSV 3-0 at home on Bundesliga matchsday 30: Ginter, Passlack, Gündogan, Sahin and Pulisic were replaced by big guns Piszczek, Schmelzer, Weigl, Mkhitaryan and Reus.
Mkhitaryan fed Kagawa who got a cross into the heart of Hertha’s box, where Castro was lurking to finish well against home keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein with a well-placed shot into the top corner of the net. Reus then latched onto a through ball by Schmelzer before blazing the ball over the crossbar (25.). Jarstein was soon in action again as he easily dealt with an effort by former Hertha striker Adrian Ramos (31.). Supported by the majority of the massive crowd, the home side began to feature in the game, without it must be said posing much of a threat. Not so the visitors, who got forward in numbers at every opportunity. Hertha could however count on the top form of their shot stopper Jahrstein. Berlin threatened for the first time in the game on the stroke of half time. Mitchell Weiser fought his way down the right from where he crossed into the Dortmund box. Jens Hegeler could only look on as Borussia keeper Bürki dealt with the danger.
Hertha tried hard in the second half but were only rarely able to threaten Dortmund’s classy well organised defence. The home side then created a decent opportunity on 64 minutes as Marvin Plattenhardt found John Anthony Brooks who in turn back headed the ball into the path of Kalou, who narrowly missed connecting with the ball as he slid in at the far post. Four minutes later Hertha were under pressure as Jahrstein denied first Ramos again (68.) and then Mkihtaryan (69.) with a superb stop. Hertha screamed on my their fans finally began to threaten the visitors as a cross by Weiser was met by a diving Kalou header which flew agonisingly wide of target (74.). Seconds later Borussia struck again as Reus finsished superby from inside the right hand side of the home box (75.). Dortmund then missed a chance to put the game to bed as Gündogan struck a post with a rasping effort, only seconds after coming on as a substitute. Borussia were not to be denied though and put the lid on the game after 83 minutes as a move involving Reus and Kagawa ended in a simple tap in goal for Mkihtaryan. Hertha tried hard but were forced to admit that the better side won on the day.
The dream of playing an a DFB Cup final in their own stadium was kept alive until the semi-final in Berlin on Wednesday night. It was a wonderful journey while it lasted. Hertha can try to go one better next season! Congratulations to Borussia Dortmund who now face mighty Bayern Munich in the final next month. Hertha’s focus now returns to league matters where they hope to win back third place in the Bundesliga table by taking something from the visit of odds on title favourites Bayer at the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Saturday (23.04.16, 3.30 PM).
(rd,kk/City-Press)
Pál Dárdai made two changes to his side which played Hoffenheim last weekend, with injured duo Vladimir Darida and right back Peter Pekarik making way Jens Hegeler and Mitchell Weiser in the team. Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel made even more changes to the Borussia side which beat HSV 3-0 at home on Bundesliga matchsday 30: Ginter, Passlack, Gündogan, Sahin and Pulisic were replaced by big guns Piszczek, Schmelzer, Weigl, Mkhitaryan and Reus.
Mkhitaryan fed Kagawa who got a cross into the heart of Hertha’s box, where Castro was lurking to finish well against home keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein with a well-placed shot into the top corner of the net. Reus then latched onto a through ball by Schmelzer before blazing the ball over the crossbar (25.). Jarstein was soon in action again as he easily dealt with an effort by former Hertha striker Adrian Ramos (31.). Supported by the majority of the massive crowd, the home side began to feature in the game, without it must be said posing much of a threat. Not so the visitors, who got forward in numbers at every opportunity. Hertha could however count on the top form of their shot stopper Jahrstein. Berlin threatened for the first time in the game on the stroke of half time. Mitchell Weiser fought his way down the right from where he crossed into the Dortmund box. Jens Hegeler could only look on as Borussia keeper Bürki dealt with the danger.
Hertha tried hard in the second half but were only rarely able to threaten Dortmund’s classy well organised defence. The home side then created a decent opportunity on 64 minutes as Marvin Plattenhardt found John Anthony Brooks who in turn back headed the ball into the path of Kalou, who narrowly missed connecting with the ball as he slid in at the far post. Four minutes later Hertha were under pressure as Jahrstein denied first Ramos again (68.) and then Mkihtaryan (69.) with a superb stop. Hertha screamed on my their fans finally began to threaten the visitors as a cross by Weiser was met by a diving Kalou header which flew agonisingly wide of target (74.). Seconds later Borussia struck again as Reus finsished superby from inside the right hand side of the home box (75.). Dortmund then missed a chance to put the game to bed as Gündogan struck a post with a rasping effort, only seconds after coming on as a substitute. Borussia were not to be denied though and put the lid on the game after 83 minutes as a move involving Reus and Kagawa ended in a simple tap in goal for Mkihtaryan. Hertha tried hard but were forced to admit that the better side won on the day.
The dream of playing an a DFB Cup final in their own stadium was kept alive until the semi-final in Berlin on Wednesday night. It was a wonderful journey while it lasted. Hertha can try to go one better next season! Congratulations to Borussia Dortmund who now face mighty Bayern Munich in the final next month. Hertha’s focus now returns to league matters where they hope to win back third place in the Bundesliga table by taking something from the visit of odds on title favourites Bayer at the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Saturday (23.04.16, 3.30 PM).
(rd,kk/City-Press)