Hertha start 2017 with defeat
Hertha start 2017 with defeat
Hertha kick started 2017 and wrapped up the first half of the season with a frustrating 3-1 defeat in Leverkusen. After going 2-0 down through Toprak (12’) and Calhanoglu (36’, pen), Valentin Stocker had pulled one back for the Berlin side (45’), but the hosts put the game to bed late in the second half when Calanhoglu made it 3-1 (89’) in the dying minutes of the match.
Line-up
Pál Dárdai made two changes to the team that started in the 2-0 win over Darmstadt at the end of 2016: the fit-again John Anthony Brooks came in at centre back in place of Jens Hegeler, who has moved to Bristol City, while Alexander Esswein came in for Salamon Kalou, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Côte d’Ivoire, on the right wing.
For Leverkusen there were three changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Köln in their last outing: Chicharito, Baumgartlinger and Bellarabi, who returned after five months on the sidelines, replaced Mehmedi, Yurchenko and Havertz.
Match summary
Hertha started the game solidly, holding their shape well and preventing any serious threat from the Leverkusen attack. At least until the 12th minute when Toprak scored the opener from nothing. The Hertha defence was unable to effectively clear the danger from Calhanoglu’s free kick and the ball fell to Toprak for a simple close-range finish. The early setback didn’t dampen the Blue-Whites’ spirits, however, and the guests almost found the instant response when Ibisevic fired from range. The Werkself seemed content to allow Hertha the ball, but Dárdai’s side were unable to create many clear-cut chances.
Leverkusen’s second goal came in the 35th minute when the referee awarded a penalty for an apparent hand ball against Plattenhardt and Calhanoglu executed the spot-kick cleanly. Hertha bounced back at the perfect time, however, when Valentin Stocker pulled one back on the stroke of half time.
The hosts flew out of the blocks in the second half, with Chicharito passing on several chances to increase the lea. Rune Jarsten and Plattenhardt kept Hertha in the match with a stunning goal-line block. Genki Haraguchi’s introduction to the game gave Hertha a much-needed boost – the Japan international had put the ball on a plate for Ibisevic, but Bernd Leno pulled off a super save to deny the Hertha captain the equaliser. Julian Schieber and Sami Allagui also came on, but were unable to inspire the comeback. Calhanoglu wrapped up the victory in the dying seconds of the match to make it 3-1.
Summary and outlook
The result means Hertha end the first half of the season in fifth place, but will hoping to get back to winning ways against SC Freiburg next Sunday (29.01.2017) at 15:30 CET.