New investor, old sporting worries: On the day its new financier 777 Partners was announced, Hertha BSC missed three big points in the fight against relegation from the Bundesliga. Despite being in the lead, the Berliners couldn’t get more than a 1-1 (1-0) win over the in-form FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday and are stuck deep in the bottom of the table.
Striker Jessic Ngankam (18th, hand penalty after video evidence) scored for Hertha, which got fresh money flushed into the very tight club coffers through the entry of the US investment company. But Ludovic Ajorque (57th) equalized for Mainz, which was worth seeing, but after four wins in a row they missed another big step towards international business and can slip to eighth place in the table on Sunday.
A few hours before kick-off, the Berliners presented the successor to investor Lars Windhorst, who held 64.7 percent of the shares in Hertha BSC GmbH & Co. KGaA with his company. According to kicker information, a total of 100 million euros will initially flow into the club from the private investment company.
After the economic exclamation point, Hertha wanted to set a scent mark on the pitch right from the start, coach Sandro Schwarz’s team was immediately the more active team against his former team. Referee Benjamin Cortus awarded the hosts a flattering penalty after Leandro Barreiro’s hand touched the ball slightly from a Lucas Tousart cross – Ngankam didn’t care, the forward who had slipped into the starting XI threw in the lead safely.
The game then flattened out a bit, Hertha’s Tolga Cigerci just got away with a yellow card after a hard challenge (22nd) against Barreiro. Mainz gradually took over control of the game, but the guests failed to complete anything until the break.
Even after the change of sides, Mainz initially hardly posed a goal threat, Hertha was compact on the defensive. But the first notable offensive action by the guests led to the equalizer: Sturmtank Ajorque got the ball 20 meters from the goal and flicked it fantastically into the top right corner. Hertha tried to reply, a header from Marc Oliver Kempf hit the crossbar after a corner (68′). Both teams were now looking for a way forward.
Hertha BSC – 1. FSV Mainz 05: The voices
Sandro Schwarz (Hertha BSC coach): “We played a very good first half and took the lead as a result. We then missed the opportunity to improve. Mainz came into play better and scored the goal straight away. The draw today is very annoying for us.”
Bo Svensson (FSV Mainz 05 coach): “In the first half we weren’t here at all today, Hertha was better in all areas. Lucky for us that it’s only 1-0. It was bad. It was better in the second half, but in the end it’s a lucky point that you like to take with you.”
Hertha BSC – 1. FSV Mainz 05: The data for the game
