Hertha BSC 1-3 TSG Hoffenheim

Hertha went down 3-1 to TSG Hoffenheim in the Olympiastadion on Friday evening.

Hertha BSC suffered defeat at home for just the second time this season in the first game of Matchday 26 in the Bundesliga on Friday night. Despite Peter Pekarik opening the scoring for Pal Dardai’s side, two goals from Andrej Kramaric and Niklas Süle saw the away side take the points with a 3-1 win.

Pál Dárdai made two changes from the 4-2 defeat to Köln. Maxi Mittelstädt replaced Marvin Plattenhardt at left back, while Alex Esswein came in for Genki Haraguchi on the right wing. Julian Nagelsmann also made two changes from the 1-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen, with Amiri and Vogt lining up in place of Szalai and Bicakcic.

Both teams put on a positive performance from the off, looking to get forward immediately. The hosts were slightly better and created the better openings and Salomon Kalou was somehow denied by Oliver Baumann in the away goal after good work from Alexander Esswein. It was Peter Pekarik who found a way through the Hoffenheim defence. The right back scored his first ever Bundesliga goal by finding the back of the net from 18 yards. Vedad Ibisevic then failed to double the lead shortly after, before Andrej Kramaric leveled from the spot after a handball in the area.

The visitors came out stronger in the second half. Max Mittelstädt was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for a tackle on the edge of the area. Dárdai reacted by bringing on fresh legs in Genki Haraguchi and Jordan Torunarigha for captain Ibisevic and Salomon Kalou. Hoffenheim made use of the extra space and started to take control, hitting the woodwork three times before eventually taking the lead courtesy of a long range goal from Niklas Süle. With time running out, Kramaric ensured the three points returned to Sinsheim with a finish from close range.

Both teams put on a positive performance from the off, looking to get forward immediately. The hosts were slightly better and created the better openings and Salomon Kalou was somehow denied by Oliver Baumann in the away goal after good work from Alexander Esswein. It was Peter Pekarik who found a way through the Hoffenheim defence. The right back scored his first ever Bundesliga goal by finding the back of the net from 18 yards. Vedad Ibisevic then failed to double the lead shortly after, before Andrej Kramaric leveled from the spot after a handball in the area.

The visitors came out stronger in the second half. Max Mittelstädt was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for a tackle on the edge of the area. Dárdai reacted by bringing on fresh legs in Genki Haraguchi and Jordan Torunarigha for captain Ibisevic and Salomon Kalou. Hoffenheim made use of the extra space and started to take control, hitting the woodwork three times before eventually taking the lead courtesy of a long range goal from Niklas Süle. With time running out, Kramaric ensured the three points returned to Sinsheim with a finish from close range.

Hertha remain fifth in the table on 40 points after just a second home league defeat of the season. A busy week now follows, with a trip to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday night - for which Mittelstädt and Ibisevic (five yellow cards) will be suspended for - before FC Ausgburg come to the Olympiastadion next Sunday.