Ibisevic at the double in Köln

Two goals from Vedad Ibisevic were enough to give Hertha their first away win of the season in Köln on Sunday night.

Cologne- Few games in November can ever be described as must win, but this was certainly one that Hertha needed. Elimination in the Europa League on Thursday followed by a defeat to the winless FC Köln on Sunday would have spelled the end of a pretty disastrous week for Pal Dardai and his team.

Step forward Vedad Ibisevic, who bagged a brace on Matchday 13, to send those from Berlin home happy and leave Hertha able to look upwards, not downwards, ahead of the December run-in to Christmas.

Cologne- Few games in November can ever be described as must win, but this was certainly one that Hertha needed. Elimination in the Europa League on Thursday followed by a defeat to the winless FC Köln on Sunday would have spelled the end of a pretty disastrous week for Pal Dardai and his team.Step forward Vedad Ibisevic, who bagged a brace on Matchday 13, to send those from Berlin home happy and leave Hertha able to look upwards, not downwards, ahead of the December run-in to Christmas.

There were three changes from Dardai from the XI that started the Europa League defeat to Athletic. Rune Jarstein returned between the sticks, as Per Skjelbred replaced Fabian Lustenberger in midfield. As against Gladbach last Saturday, Hertha began with two strikers, with Vedad Ibisevic partnering Davie Selke up front. The change meant Valentino Lazaro started on the bench.

he blueprint for performing away from home was set on Thursday in Bilbao, and while Köln were a stubborn test defensively, it was Hertha who took a deserved lead after the quarter hour, when Selke won the jump to reach Plattenhardt’s corner, and Ibisevic was hand to poke home from a yard out after Timo Horn had failed to hold the initial header.

The goal freed up Hertha even more, and Horn was forced into action twice more before the break, blocking Ibisevic’s wonderful first time volley, and parrying Maxi Mittelstädt’s powerful drive from distance away from danger.

Another half like the second 45 on Thursday would have left serious doubts hanging over the Hertha boys, but they stood up to a man on Sunday evening, weathering an early storm from the home side to keep the game under control and the three points safe.

In Bilbao, a lack of bite going forward on the counter had cost the Blue-Whites a place in the Europa League, but they used the spaces on the break to perfection in Cologne, and when Selke burst into the box at full speed and was fouled there was only going to be one result.

Ibisevic converted for his fourth goal in three Bundesliga games and as time ticked down only Hertha looked like finding the back of the net again.

When the final whistle blew, it signaled just Hertha’s third away win of the calendar year, their first in the Bundesliga since April and continued their run of not losing a game following a Europa League fixture this season. This was however the first win, and it was a big one.

The blueprint for performing away from home was set on Thursday in Bilbao, and while Köln were a stubborn test defensively, it was Hertha who took a deserved lead after the quarter hour, when Selke won the jump to reach Plattenhardt’s corner, and Ibisevic was hand to poke home from a yard out after Timo Horn had failed to hold the initial header.

The goal freed up Hertha even more, and Horn was forced into action twice more before the break, blocking Ibisevic’s wonderful first time volley, and parrying Maxi Mittelstädt’s powerful drive from distance away from danger.

Another half like the second 45 on Thursday would have left serious doubts hanging over the Hertha boys, but they stood up to a man on Sunday evening, weathering an early storm from the home side to keep the game under control and the three points safe.

In Bilbao, a lack of bite going forward on the counter had cost the Blue-Whites a place in the Europa League, but they used the spaces on the break to perfection in Cologne, and when Selke burst into the box at full speed and was fouled there was only going to be one result.

Ibisevic converted for his fourth goal in three Bundesliga games and as time ticked down only Hertha looked like finding the back of the net again.

When the final whistle blew, it signaled just Hertha’s third away win of the calendar year, their first in the Bundesliga since April and continued their run of not losing a game following a Europa League fixture this season.

This was however the first win, and it was a big one.

The win moves Hertha up to 11th in the Bundesliga table with 17 points, and Pal Dardai’s team sit four points shy of fifth-placed Dortmund, and move eight points clear of Freiburg in 16th with four league games left in 2017. The next task is next Sunday, when Frankfurt visit the Olympiastadion for a 15:30CET kick off.