Defeat in Bilbao ends Europa League dream
Defeat in Bilbao ends Europa League dreams
The first half had been almost perfection, with headed goals from Mathew Leckie and Davie Selke either side of an Aduriz penalty giving Pal Dardai’s team a 2-1 lead and a projected second place in the group at the break.
But another penalty from Aduriz brought the hosts level after the restart before Inaki Williams dealt Hertha a knockout blow and extinguished any hopes the Blue-Whites had of reaching the knockout stages in the new year.
Valentino Lazaro came in for Vedad Ibisevic up top, while Maxi Mittelstädt and Mathew Leckie looked to control the wings ahead of Alex Esswein and Salomon Kalou.
It was impossible to tell in the opening twenty minutes that Hertha had won just two games away from home in the last twelve months and that Athletic had won seven of their last eight European home games.
Pal Dardai’s side dominated, and deservedly went in front when Mathew Leckie powered home Maxi Mittelstädt’s left-wing cross midway through the first half. Athletic rarely threatened, but were handed the chance to equalize when Sebastian Langkamp was penalized in the penalty area.
It was a chance they took as Aritz Aduriz converted from twelve yards. Hertha’s response was perfect, and instant. Thomas Kraft’s long ball was picked up by Valentino Lazaro, who broke clear and crossed for Davie Selke to nod home his fourth Europa League goal in three matches.
There was always going to be a backlash in the second period, but Hertha seemed powerless to stop the home side gaining the upper hand and putting pressure on the back four and Kraft.
Langkamp was again the culprit inside the 18 yard box and Aduriz was able to pull Athletic level again from the spot with 25 minutes remaining.
A point would still have left Dardai’s men in with a shout of qualifying after their final group game with Östersunds next month, but they were well and truly dumped out of Europe thanks to Inaki Williams, who slotted home to round off a swift counter attack for the hosts.
Hertha’s best chance to salvage something came in the dying seconds, but Selke’s volley was too central to trouble the keeper.
Hertha are now bottom of Group J and will now meet already-qualified FK Östersunds from Sweden in the Olympiastadion in two weeks’ time for their final fixture.
All focus for 2017/18 now returns to the Bundesliga, and Dardai’s men will hope to finally turn their fortunes away from home around when they travel to winless and bottom of the table Köln for a 18:00 kick off on Sunday.