Stevan Jovetić celebrates his goal.
First team | December 11, 2021, 05:35 PM

A massive win: Three points against Arminia!

Tayfun Korkut made three changes from his first starting XI as Hertha head coach. In his first home game, he brought in Suat Serdar, Niklas Stark and Deyovaisio Zeefuik for Jordan Torunarigha and Myziane Maolida, who took places on the bench, and Peter Pekarík, who missed out altogether with a thigh issue, alongside Maximilian Mittelstädt, who had a cold. Lucas Tousart returned to the squad for the first time since his Corona infection.

Hertha with the better chances – Jovetić’s goal ruled out

Our Blue-Whites started with the upper hand and created the first chances of the game: A Marvin Plattenhardt corner was met by Stark, who headed just past the post (10’). Just two minutes later Arminia goalkeeper Ortega parried from Suat Serdar’s shot following great work from Ishak Belfodil. The home side kept the pressure up, with another effort from Serdar somehow being blocked on the line by the head of Joakim Nilsson (14’). The game then turned around slightly, as it was Hertha needing to do the defending from Bielefeld, captain Dedryck Boyata leading the line superbly. Another shot across the bows came from Vladimír Darida, whose central long-range drive was parried out by Ortega’s shoulder for a corner (36’). With four minutes to go until the break, Hertha had the ball in the net, but referee Tobias Welz and his linesman disallowed the goal – goalscorer Jovetić was marginally offside before firing into the near post. The half ended goalless, Marco Richter’s shot at the Arminia goalkeeper the final attempt of the opening 45.

Photo gallery: Hertha BSC vs. DSC Arminia Bielefeld

Jovetić ice cold – substitute Selke seals the deal

There were no changes at half time, and our lads continued in the same vein of form as the first half, taking the advantage after only eight minutes. It was a very similar goal to the equaliser in Stuttgart – Plattenhardt’s cross found Belfodil, who laid the ball off fantastically for Jovetić to fire into the top corner! The goal to make it 1-0 did not cause the team to rest on their laurels, who continued looking for the second. Another attempt from our number 19 was well dealt with by DSC’s goalkeeper Ortega, a minute before Florian Krüger gave all in blue and white a scare, as his shot flashed past Alexander Schwolow’s net (65’). Head coach Korkut made a double change to bring in fresh midfield legs, as Jurgen Ekkelenkamp and Prince Boateng came on for Serdar and Marco Richter (69’). The home side kept pushing forward bravely, Jovetić just missing from a Belfodil setup and Dedryck Boyata heading a corner onto the roof of the net (72’, 73’). Another change was then in the offing, as Krysztof Piątek replaced the tireless Belfodil (78’). Piątek was immediately involved, shooting at Ortega from a Jovetić pass (82’). At the other end, Janni Serra was inches away from getting on the end of a cross (84’). With the clock running down, Davie Selke and Lucas Tousart came in for Jovetić and Darida to help secure the win. And did they just – Selke latched onto a loose ball and smashed in low from around 25 yards to secure a well-earned 2-0 win for Hertha and send the Olympiastadion into ecstacy (90+5’)!

 

Hertha BSC: Schwolow; Zeefuik, Boyata (C), Stark, Plattenhardt; Darida (87‘ Tousart), Ascacíbar; Richter (69’ Ekkelenkamp), Serdar (69’ Prince), Jovetić (87’ Selke); Belfodil (78’ Piątek)

DSC Arminia Bielefeld: Ortega;  Brunner, Nilsson, Pieper, Laursen (71’ Andrade); Prietl (C), Kunze (61‘ Krüger); Wimmer (76‘ Hack), Schöpf, Okugawa (76. Serra); Klos (61‘ Lasme)

Goals: 1-0 Jovetić (53‘), 2-0 Selke (90+5‘)

Referee: Tobias Welz

Yellow cards: Darida; Brunner

Attendance: 5000

by Hertha BSC