Hertha snatch late 1-1 draw in Augsburg
Hertha snatch late 1-1 draw in Augsburg
Matchday 15’s action in the Bundesliga was rounded off by a 1-1 draw between FC Augsburg and Hertha Berlin on Sunday evening. The hosts took a deserved lead through Caiuby in the 74th minute, but substitute Salomon Kalou’s volley in the 91st minute meant that the spoils were shared.
After bringing in fresh faces for the final Europa League group game against Östersunds, head coach Pál Dárdai recalled his regulars for the trip to Augsburg. Niklas Stark and Maximilian Mittelstädt were the only two starters from Thursday to retain their place, with Rune Jarstein, Sebastian Langkamp, Karim Rekik, Mitchell Weiser, Marvin Plattenhardt, Per Skjelbred, Mathew Leckie, Vedad Ibisevic and Davie Selke returning. Meanwhile, Dárdai’s opposite number Manuel Baum unsurprisingly opted for a front pairing of Michael Gregoritsch and Alfred Finnbogason, who had contributed 15 of FCA’s goals this season between them.
While Hertha started with good intentions in Bavaria, the first chance went to the hosts and play mostly continued in one direction after it too. Langkamp gifted away possession at the back, but fortunately Jarstein was on hand to deny Brazilian Caiuby one-on-one, before Koo fired over the top 60 seconds later. The only sign of life from the Blue-Whites was a long-range daisy-cutter from Sebastian Langkamp, but it did little to trouble Marwin Hitz in the Augsburg goal. His FCA teammates were causing problems for Jarstein, however, and the Norwegian had to be at his best to tip Marcel Heller’s chipped effort onto the crossbar around the half-hour mark.
Much like the remainder of the first half, the second 45 offered very little attacking action as Augsburg controlled possession and Hertha waited to pounce. It wasn’t until Dárdai shuffled his pack that a goalkeeper was called into serious action, with new introduction Alexander Esswein forcing a good save out of Hitz from his powerful strike just seconds after coming on. FCA still looked the more dangerous side though, and that was reflected on the scoreline after 74 minutes as Caiuby thundered a volley into the roof of the net. Gregoritsch had a chance to put the game beyond Hertha’s reach five minutes from time, and he was made to rue putting his shot narrowly wide of the post; substitute Salomon Kalou was in the right place in the opening minute of added time to turn home Niklas Stark’s header back across the face of goal following a corner, securing a late, late point for the visitors.
The draw in Augsburg keeps Hertha in 12th place with 18 points on the board. The chance to add to that tally comes around in midweek already, with the capital club in action on Wednesday at 20:30 CET at home to Hannover 96. The final Bundesliga matchday before Christmas then follows next weekend, when the Blue-Whites travel to Leipzig on Sunday, again at 18:00 CET.