Second-half improvements not enough

Efficiency is a term often used in football. Being ‘on form’ is also prevalent in football-speak. But the football phrase that most appropriately describes Hertha’s appearance at 1. FC Köln on Saturday is simple:  the team that scores the goals wins the game. In many games, both teams create a host of chances looking to find the back of the net – a feat Köln’s Yuya Osako accomplished just six minutes after kick-off, in a fashion not often witnessed in the Bundesliga. The young Japanese forward took aim from the edge of the area and curled a beautiful strike into the top corner past the ever-stretching Rune Jarstein. A goal that would go on to give the hosts a noticeable boost, having failed to win a game from their last five appearances. 

But Hertha players and officials refused to the let the result get them down – one look at the statistics suggests a mostly balanced encounter. But the difference this afternoon, especially in the first half, was evident between the 31st and 37th minute. Marvin Plattenhardt directed a well-timed cross towards Vedad Ibisevic in the box but the striker’s header was saved by a good reaction from Köln keeper Timo Horn. Just five minutes later at the other end, Köln’s in-form striker showed everyone how it’s done. Anthony Modeste had scored 19 goals this season going into the game, making him the third-best marksmen in the league behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Robert Lewandowski, and he added another to his tally with a low effort from the edge of the area to give Köln a 2-0 lead. Hertha looked stunned in that moment and Köln were eager to take advantage of the situation: again Modeste exercised a clinical finish leaving Jarstein hopeless to prevent Köln’s third goal of the match. 

Hertha’s chances in the build-up to Köln’s second goal were on the mind of manager Pál Dárdai after the game: “Vedad had a nice header, we could have scored the equaliser there. Perhaps the game would have taken a different turn then. Instead we took a 3-0 deficit into the break. It’s not easy to rebuild confidence in the team with a score-line like that, but we made some changes and showed a good performance in the second half.” The tactics in the second half were clear: “We wanted to put the first half behind us,” explained Maximilian Mittelstädt, who had hoped for a better end to his 20th birthday. “We simply didn’t have that bit of luck on our side today and didn’t pay enough attention when we conceded the goals. If we had used our own chances better, it would’ve been a different outcome.” Five minutes after the restart things were looking up for the visitors again. Niklas Stark was brought down inside the area and Ibisevic converted from the spot to pull Hertha back to within two goals. 

There was a sense in the air that this game was not yet over and Hertha looked an improved side until Modeste completed a hat-trick to restore Köln’s three-goal advantage with his 21st goal of the campaign after 63 minutes. Seven minutes later Hertha clawed their way back into the game with John Anthony Brooks’ header to make it 4-2 for Köln. “It was probably a great game to watch for neutral fans. Looking at the statistics suggests it was an open game but that doesn’t count: Köln scored four goals.” And Hertha failed to grab a third, because Horn once again made a great save against Ibisevic. The team still earned some accolades for their mentality and winning the second half, but unfortunately this yields no points. “We have to make some changes quickly. We’ve tried a lot already, but it can’t be the case that we give away an entire half in every away game.” The international break is up next but the next game is already on the horizon as Hertha will prepare to host TSG Hoffenheim the following week on Friday.