Teams | October 22, 2016 at 07:44 PM
Fourth home game – fourth home win!
Fourth home game – fourth home win!
Hertha beat beforehand second placed Cologne 2-1!
Berlin - Hertha edged an entertaining matchday 8 encounter 2-1, to claim their fourth straight home win of the season. On Saturday afternoon (22.10) the capital city side beat top two side Cologne 2-1, in front of 60,000 at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. The win sees the Berliners move back into second place (at least until the other teams in that area of the table play their games.)
Hertha boss Pál Dárdai was forced to make changes to the team that drew 1-1 away to Dortmund last time out. Valentin Stocker was shown a red card in that game so missed out through suspension. Dardai gave Salomon Kalou his first start of the season. The Ivorian striker played more of a false number nine role, while Hertha under-19 play maker Julius Kade made the first team squad for the very first time. Cologne boss Peter Stöger stuck with the team which beat Ingolstadt on matchday 7. It was the third time in a row he was able to name an unchanged side.
Hertha boss Pál Dárdai was forced to make changes to the team that drew 1-1 away to Dortmund last time out. Valentin Stocker was shown a red card in that game so missed out through suspension. Dardai gave Salomon Kalou his first start of the season. The Ivorian striker played more of a false number nine role, while Hertha under-19 play maker Julius Kade made the first team squad for the very first time. Cologne boss Peter Stöger stuck with the team which beat Ingolstadt on matchday 7. It was the third time in a row he was able to name an unchanged side.
Both sides made a cautious start but things then slowly began to liven up. Hertha lost the ball from their own free kick and were hit on the break by the visitors. Luckily for the home side Yuya Osako blazed the ball wide with the goal at his mercy (6.). Not long afterwards Cologne keeper Timo Horn was in the spotlight as he reacted superbly to keep out a shot on the turn by Berlin captain Ibisevic (9.). Kalou was then unlucky with an 11th minute header but the opening goal was not far away. Weiser won the ball off Hector, before sprinting forward and producing a superb ball to Ibisevic who slid the ball home from ten metres out for his sixth goal of the new season (13.). Bundesliga top scorer ahead of matchday 8 was Cologn’s Modeste, who underlined his dangerous qualities as he narrowly missed netting from an acute angle. At the other end Haraguchi tried his luck from distance but his effort was wayward (16.). Hertha remained in charge as goalmouth action became a rarity and once again the final telling pass was missing during a break on 36 minutes. Hertha led 1-0 at half time.
The home side threatened first as the new half started, as Horn rose like a Salmon to somehow keep a Plattenhardt thunderbolt from distance from entering his net (48.). Cologne began to up their efforts but the home defence looked solid. Rausch let fly following a throw in but Langkamp was perfectly placed to avert the danger. Seconds later Haraguchi narrowly failed to connect with a ball into the box which ended in the side netting (58.). Cologne finally broke through as a ball was deflected past home keeper Jarstein to Modeste who easily struck home his 8th goal of the season (65.). Pál Dárdai reacted by bringing on Schieber for Esswein. The game became more open and Modeste narrowly headed wide following a corner down the right (69.). At the other end Horn was producing more magic, keeping out a goalward bound Brooks header. Nobody present could believe hot it did not go in 71.). Moments later he also thwarted Schieber who shot from distance(72.). A further free kick saw Hertha take the lead again as Schieber played a diagonal ball into the box where Stark was lurking to head the ball home (74.)! Cologne threw everything forward and had the home side counting their lucky stars twice with 90 seconds as a shot by Zoller and a Risse cross both struck the woodwork and rebounded out of danger (86.). Schieber then missed a chance to put the game to bed in the 90th minute but dragged a shot wide. Rudnevs then netted for the visitors only to be ruled to have fouled on his way to the chance. The game ended in a 2-1 victory for the capital city side!
Hertha maintained their unblemished home record through skill and not a lillte luck. Cologne upped the anti after the break and drew level. Hertha had the perfect answer though as they took the lead again. A couple of bits of luck with the woodwork kept Dardai’s men high in the Bundesliga table ahead of their next game on Wednesday (25.10.16) which is a mouth-watering DFB Cup clash away to Hamburg cult-minnows FC St. Pauli. The following weekend sees Hertha take on Hoffenheim away from home on matchday 9.
(rd,war/City-Press)
The home side threatened first as the new half started, as Horn rose like a Salmon to somehow keep a Plattenhardt thunderbolt from distance from entering his net (48.). Cologne began to up their efforts but the home defence looked solid. Rausch let fly following a throw in but Langkamp was perfectly placed to avert the danger. Seconds later Haraguchi narrowly failed to connect with a ball into the box which ended in the side netting (58.). Cologne finally broke through as a ball was deflected past home keeper Jarstein to Modeste who easily struck home his 8th goal of the season (65.). Pál Dárdai reacted by bringing on Schieber for Esswein. The game became more open and Modeste narrowly headed wide following a corner down the right (69.). At the other end Horn was producing more magic, keeping out a goalward bound Brooks header. Nobody present could believe hot it did not go in 71.). Moments later he also thwarted Schieber who shot from distance(72.). A further free kick saw Hertha take the lead again as Schieber played a diagonal ball into the box where Stark was lurking to head the ball home (74.)! Cologne threw everything forward and had the home side counting their lucky stars twice with 90 seconds as a shot by Zoller and a Risse cross both struck the woodwork and rebounded out of danger (86.). Schieber then missed a chance to put the game to bed in the 90th minute but dragged a shot wide. Rudnevs then netted for the visitors only to be ruled to have fouled on his way to the chance. The game ended in a 2-1 victory for the capital city side!
Hertha maintained their unblemished home record through skill and not a lillte luck. Cologne upped the anti after the break and drew level. Hertha had the perfect answer though as they took the lead again. A couple of bits of luck with the woodwork kept Dardai’s men high in the Bundesliga table ahead of their next game on Wednesday (25.10.16) which is a mouth-watering DFB Cup clash away to Hamburg cult-minnows FC St. Pauli. The following weekend sees Hertha take on Hoffenheim away from home on matchday 9.
(rd,war/City-Press)