A goalless draw to end 2023

Pál Dárdai made two changes to the starting XI that beat FCK away from home last weekend, with Haris Tabaković and Gustav Christensen coming in for Smail Prevljak and Marten Winkler. Fabian Reese was not in the matchday squad due to illness.

The Old Lady had the first chance of the game after Florian Niederlechner made a good challenge in the final third, which put Haris Tabaković through on goal. His shot from the right side of the box forced a fairly simple save from the Osnabrück keeper Kühn (10’). Niederlechner was also the provider of Tabaković’s second chance, finding our number 25 with a good cross. However, Tabaković‘s fired his effort straight down the keeper's throat (25’). Derry Scherhant almost gave The Old Lady the lead just before the break, after cutting in from the left and testing Kühn with a powerful shot, which the man between the sticks for the away side saved well (45'+1).

Niederlechner sent off late on – Hertha unbeaten in nine competitive games

There were very few clear-cut chances for either side in the first 30 minutes of the second half, but Niederlechner did manage to get one shot on target, following Kenny’s chipped ball over the Osnabrück defence. However, there was not a great deal of power behind the shot, meaning that Kühn made a relatively routine save (73’). Nader Jindaoui created another chance for Hertha after beating his man down the right flank and finding Marten Winkler with a lofty cross, whose header is saved by the Osnabrück keeper (77’). Following a VAR check, Niederlechner was sent off in the 85th minute for dangerous foul play. With ten men on the field, there were no real chances of note in the final stages of the match, so the final match of 2023 ended goalless.

Toni Leistner: We had a lot of chances, but we lacked penetrative power. Fabi is one of, if not the best, players in the league, so it’s difficult to replace him. Osnabrück defended well, but we should have found solutions.

Hertha BSC: Ernst – Kenny, Leistner (C), Kempf, Karbownik – Klemens (46' Hussein), M. Dárdai (85' Bouchalakis) – Christensen (61' Winkler), Niederlechner, Scherhant (61' Jinadoui)– Tabaković (75' Prevljak)

VfL Osnabrück: Kühn – Ajdini (90'+3 Rorig), Gyamfi (C), Diakhité, Kleinhansl – Cuisance, Gnaase, Tesche (75' Kunze) – Conteh (75' Wulff), Engelhardt, Niemann (57' Makridis)

Goals: -

Referee: Patrick Ittrich

Yellow cards: Karbownik, M. Dárdai, Kenny – Ajdini, Conteh, Gnaase

Red cards: Niederlechner

Attendance: 43,650