Teams | December 21, 2016 at 11:21 PM
Third place at the winter break
Third place at the winter break
Hertha beat Darmstadt 2-0 in the final game of 2016.
Berlin - Hertha enter the winter break with a winning feeling, after the capital city side beat Darmstadt 2-0 at home on Bundesliga matchday 16 at the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Wednesday night (21.12). Goals by Marvin Plattenhardt and Salomon Kalou did the business for the home side.
Hertha head coach Pál Dárdai was forced to make changes through injuries, unable to call on the services of Mitchell Weiser and Julian Schieber, both of whom played in the defeat at Leipzig last time out. Haraguchi and Allan Souza were on the bench, while Peter Pekarik, Per Skjelbred, Valentin Stocker and Vladimir Darida made the starting eleven. Darmstadt kept faith in the team that had narrowly lost 0-1 to title favourites Bayern Munich last time out. In their team they had two former Hertha men in Niemeyer and Holland – obviously keen to get one over on their former club. Darmstadt’s former Hertha striker Änis Ben-Hatira was on the bench.
Hertha head coach Pál Dárdai was forced to make changes through injuries, unable to call on the services of Mitchell Weiser and Julian Schieber, both of whom played in the defeat at Leipzig last time out. Haraguchi and Allan Souza were on the bench, while Peter Pekarik, Per Skjelbred, Valentin Stocker and Vladimir Darida made the starting eleven. Darmstadt kept faith in the team that had narrowly lost 0-1 to title favourites Bayern Munich last time out. In their team they had two former Hertha men in Niemeyer and Holland – obviously keen to get one over on their former club. Darmstadt’s former Hertha striker Änis Ben-Hatira was on the bench.
To pay their respects to those involved in the Berlin terror attack at the Christmas market in Berlin, the fans created a sea of light using their mobile phones. Then the game started and the home side got on top early on with Pekarik firing a warning shot over the crossbar on 5 minutes. Two minutes later a Darmstadt defender deflected a ball narrowly wide of his own goal but no corner was awarded. Ibisevic (9.) and Stark (11.) missed half chances following corners. Darida tried his luck from distance but it looked like passing to Ibisevic would have been the better option as Darmstadt keeper Esser saved the effort. The visitors began to get forward and a through ball by Heller found no takers in the middle (28.). A shot by Vrancic was deflected wide of goal and Sulu aimed his shot too high at a corner (37.). Then Hertha hit man Kalou was denied by the keeper as he got a shot in from an acute angle. The game was goalless at the break.
The second half began in a jaw-dropping way as Plattenhardt nailed a 30 metre free kick into the top corner of the net to break the deadlock (53.). Hertha almost struck again but Ibisevic narrowly missed a rebound inside the Darmstadt box. Kalou nodded the ball over the target from the resulting corner (58.). Darmstadt had to open up and former Hertha captain Niemeyer headed over the bar from an offside position at a set piece (63.). Plattenhardt was involved in his side’s second goal with Kalou heading the ball home from his free kick (66.). The capital city hosts kept things tight at the back while trying to find a way through the massed Darmstadt defence. Darida fired over again from distance (75.). Dardai brought on Sami Allagui for Stocker for the closing stages. Kalou found Ibisevic but the Hertha skipper fired well over the bar (82.). Darida was replaced by Alexander Esswein who was denied by Esser from an acute angle as the keeper somehow managed to deflect the ball past the far post (84.). Genki Haraguchi replaced top performer Kalou in the final minute and the Ivorian got a wonderful reception from the crowd. Moments late the final whistle was blown on a deserved 2-0 win.
Pál Dárdai’s team dominated in all departments and were well worth their 2-0 victory. Because Hoffenheim could only draw, Hertha will spend the winter break in third place in the Bundesliga table. Training resumes on January 3rd 2017 as the team prepare for their next game away to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of January.
(rd,war)
The second half began in a jaw-dropping way as Plattenhardt nailed a 30 metre free kick into the top corner of the net to break the deadlock (53.). Hertha almost struck again but Ibisevic narrowly missed a rebound inside the Darmstadt box. Kalou nodded the ball over the target from the resulting corner (58.). Darmstadt had to open up and former Hertha captain Niemeyer headed over the bar from an offside position at a set piece (63.). Plattenhardt was involved in his side’s second goal with Kalou heading the ball home from his free kick (66.). The capital city hosts kept things tight at the back while trying to find a way through the massed Darmstadt defence. Darida fired over again from distance (75.). Dardai brought on Sami Allagui for Stocker for the closing stages. Kalou found Ibisevic but the Hertha skipper fired well over the bar (82.). Darida was replaced by Alexander Esswein who was denied by Esser from an acute angle as the keeper somehow managed to deflect the ball past the far post (84.). Genki Haraguchi replaced top performer Kalou in the final minute and the Ivorian got a wonderful reception from the crowd. Moments late the final whistle was blown on a deserved 2-0 win.
Pál Dárdai’s team dominated in all departments and were well worth their 2-0 victory. Because Hoffenheim could only draw, Hertha will spend the winter break in third place in the Bundesliga table. Training resumes on January 3rd 2017 as the team prepare for their next game away to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of January.
(rd,war)