Hertha knocked out of DFB Pokal by Köln

Hertha were eliminated from the DFB Pokal at the second round after a 3-1 home defeat to FC Köln on Wednesday night.

Berlin- Halloween isn’t until next week, but Hertha suffered a Pokal nightmare under the floodlights in Berlin, crashing out to Bundesliga basement side FC Köln. First half goals from Simon Zoller and Dominic Maroh were added to by Christian Clemens in the second half to give the visitors an unassailable lead, before Niklas Stark pulled a goal back with twenty minutes to go.

Pal Dardai made three changes from the draw with Freiburg at the weekend, giving Davie Selke his second Hertha start, and bringing Valentino Lazaro and Peter Pekarik in for Vedad Ibisevic and Ondrej Duda. Mathew Leckie also dropped out with a thigh problem.

It all looked so positive from the outset. Hertha controlled the game possession-wise but despite Salomon Kalou’s speculative effort there was no clear sight of goal for either team. Marvin Plattenhardt whistled a free kick just wide, before forcing a good save from Timo Horn moments later from a similar position. Kalou then saw his rasping drive turned away by Horn before the mood in the Olympiastadion went south quickly as Simon Zoller fired Köln in front from close range despite seeming to be in an offside position from Guirassy’s header. It got worse for the Blue and whites before the break as Maroh turned home a corner to double the Billy Goat’s advantage.

Dardai reacted by introducing Arne Maier for the restart and when the hour came the Hungarian threw on the cavalry by bringing Ondrej Duda and Vedad Ibisevic onto the pitch as well. Hertha had thrown men forward too, and were always at risk from a counter attack, a point proved just after the hour when the visitors broke at speed in a move which resulted in Clemens tapping into an empty net. The Olympiastadion was given an instant reaction as Niklas Stark headed home from a corner, but depite late efforts from Selke and Ibisevic there was no more joy in front of goal for the capital club, who will now not contest a Pokal clash until next August.

Köln will now wait to find out who they will play in Sunday’s round three draw. Hertha’s attention now turns back to Bundesliga, as Hamburger SV visit the Olympiastadion on Saturday for a 15:30CEST kick-off.