Unimpressed by the big bang for investor Lars Windhorst, Hertha BSC scored a respectable win against the high-flyers SC Freiburg, but gambled away their first home win in the Bundesliga.
After the fifth game in a row without a defeat, it suddenly became very quiet in the Olympic Stadium. Instead of applause, Hertha BSC fans initially used the moment for silent protest. “Windhorst out of our club” was written on a banner in the east stand, which only broke their silence when the stadium anthem “Just home” was played.
Unimpressed by the big bang for investor Lars Windhorst, Hertha had just achieved a respectable success and beat SC Freiburg’s high-flyers 2-2 (1-1). The players then did not want to comment on the Windhorst cause, preferring to talk about sport. “Of course we’re proud of the series, but we could have won if we’d done something smarter,” said Berlin’s Marc Oliver Kempf DAZN.
Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (22nd) and Kevin Schade (78th) scored for Freiburg. Dodi Lukebakio (34th, hand penalty) and Suat Serdar (61st) had meanwhile turned the game for Hertha. Freiburg missed the chance to further break away from the top teams Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the top group.
“We have to be satisfied. We could have scored the second goal, but the tide turned with the penalty kick. Maybe we could have done better because of the first half,” said Freiburg’s Matthias Ginter: “It was intense, we have all our energy knocked out.”
Hertha – Freiburg: Christoph Streich has to fit with Corona
The Freiburgers were looked after in Berlin by the assistant coaches Lars Vossler and Julian Schuster. After head coach Christian Streich, his representative Patrick Baier had also tested positive for the corona virus.
Hertha had made the headlines there during the week – but not for sporting reasons: Windhorst’s announced exit caused a lot of fuss. According to trainer Sandro Schwarz, however, the topic had no impact on day-to-day work.
The players weren’t impressed either. Hertha got off to a good start, putting the guests under pressure well into their half and disrupting the opposition’s build-up play. After winning the ball, however, the Berliners usually acted too hectic.
The game remained broken. Bad passes and nicknames shaped the events. But then the SC set a first highlight: Ritsu Doan tricked around Hertha captain Marvin Plattenhardt in the penalty area. His cross pass found the freestanding Kyereh, who just had to push in.
The lead only gave the Breisgauers security for a short time – instead they let themselves be countered: A cross from Lukebakio jumped into Christian Günter’s hand. The Belgian converted the penalty that was due himself. Up to the break, Hertha was closer to scoring the second goal.
After the change of sides, momentum was lost on both sides until Serdar tried it from a distance – and put Hertha in the lead. The Berliners remained offensive after the second goal, Freiburg tried to equalize in a lively final phase and were rewarded by Schade.
