Special moments

Haraguchi scores in record time, Mittlestädt impresses as Plattenhardt replacement and Torunarigha makes his Bundesliga debut.

Berlin – “It was about time,” said Salomon Kalou after the game. Although the original plan was a completely different one: “I told Genki before the game that he should give me an assist again. Maybe he didn’t exactly understand what I had said, but he did an even better job with his goal,” smiled the Ivorian striker. The game was only 59 seconds old, when Kalou set up his team mate Haraguchi for the opener, which ultimately secured the 1-0 victory against FC Ingolstadt. Looking back, it was the fastest goal scored by the Blue-Whites since detailed data collection was introduced for the 2004/05 season. It was also the first goal of the campaign for Haraguchi – just at the right time.

Genki Haraguchi had recently found himself sidelined a few times. Seemingly too motivated, he struggled to get all his horsepower onto the track. “When we heard that he had only suffered a minor knock at the start of the week, we decided to start him,” Pál Dárdai reveals his rather unconventional approach and adds: “Everyone who has been a professional player knows that when you only suffer a minor injury you immediately hold back a bit. Genki did well and we knew that he would produce a good performance.” Hertha had managed the perfect start, but Ingolstadt eventually found their balance in defence. Despite claiming a majority of the possession, the hosts struggled to create any more clear chances against FCI.

Hertha’s youngsters pull through

Maximilian Mittelstädt received extra words of praise from Dárdai, who replaced an ill Marvin Plattenhardt as left-back. “It’s not easy for him, because in Marvin he has a true regular in front of him. But he’s also been quite active, either for us or in the U23 and U19 teams. I give him top marks for his performance today, because despite the lack of experience he did a good job on the Bundesliga stage,” said the manager on the 19-year-old’s performance. “The game showed that we are willing to give everything, even under these difficult conditions. We will always stand our ground, even if things aren’t going our way. We managed to find the right response to our first two games and I think that speaks for us,” Mittelstädt analysed the game.

Ingolstadt looked to get more involved in their attacking third after the break. Hertha was forced to focus more on their defence, but they kept their compact shape. At the other end, space was suddenly available but a lack of precision prevented Hertha from adding to their lead. And finally, this game also offered youngster Jordan Torunarigha with the opportunity to make his Bundesliga debut. The learned centre-back replaced Vedad Ibisevic in the closing stages of the game. “It was certainly a different level compared to the amateurs,” reported the youngster after the game. “It’s a moment that I will never forget, especially because we kept the vital three points here at home.”

Berlin – “It was about time,” said Salomon Kalou after the game. Although the original plan was a completely different one: “I told Genki before the game that he should give me an assist again. Maybe he didn’t exactly understand what I had said, but he did an even better job with his goal,” smiled the Ivorian striker. The game was only 59 seconds old, when Kalou set up his team mate Haraguchi for the opener, which ultimately secured the 1-0 victory against FC Ingolstadt. Looking back, it was the fastest goal scored by the Blue-Whites since detailed data collection was introduced for the 2004/05 season. It was also the first goal of the campaign for Haraguchi – just at the right time.

Genki Haraguchi had recently found himself sidelined a few times. Seemingly too motivated, he struggled to get all his horsepower onto the track. “When we heard that he had only suffered a minor knock at the start of the week, we decided to start him,” Pál Dárdai revealed, adding: “Everyone who has been a professional player knows that when you only suffer a minor injury you immediately hold back a bit. Genki did well and we knew that he would produce a good performance.” Hertha had managed the perfect start, but Ingolstadt eventually found their balance in defence. Despite claiming the majority of the possession, the hosts struggled to create any more clear chances against FCI.

Hertha’s youngsters pull through

Maximilian Mittelstädt, who replaced an ill Marvin Plattenhardt as left-back, received extra words of praise from Dárdai. “It’s not easy for him, because in Marvin he has a true regular in front of him. However, he’s also been quite active, either for us or in the U23 and U19 teams. I give him top marks for his performance today because despite the lack of experience, he did a good job on the Bundesliga stage,” said the manager on the 19-year-old’s performance. “The game showed that we are willing to give everything, even under these difficult conditions. We will always stand our ground, even if things aren’t going our way. We managed to find the right response to our first two games and I think that speaks for us,” Mittelstädt analysed the game.

Ingolstadt looked to get more involved in their attacking third after the break. Hertha were forced to focus more on their defence, but they kept their compact shape. At the other end, space was suddenly available but a lack of precision prevented Hertha from adding to their lead. Finally, this game also offered youngster Jordan Torunarigha with the opportunity to make his Bundesliga debut. He replaced Vedad Ibisevic in the closing stages of the game. “It was certainly a different level compared to the amateurs,” reported the youngster after the game. “It’s a moment that I will never forget, especially because we kept the vital three points here at home.”