Euphoria? Back to Earth...

So at least there won’t be any BVB supporter who is going to fly too high after a zero-pointer on the road and a lousy performance. Hertha BSC Berlin beat us 3-2 and clearly showed us that coach Thomas Doll and his players have still plenty of work lying ahead.


BVB travelled to Berlin with the confidence of 3 wins with no goals against in a row. This little series lift us to spot 4 of the table and fired black-yellow dreams of a successful season. Though not all of the 3 matches were brilliant and we have still those both initial losses against Duisburg and Sch*lke in mind, we enjoyed at least a magnificent night when our boys crushed Werder Bremen 3-0 last Friday. So there weren’t many changes needed. Goalie Roman Weidenfeller was available again after his 3-match suspension and so Marc Ziegler moved to the bench. As Philipp Degen missed the match due to injury, Florian Kringe moved to right back, Tinga from holding midfield to left midfield and Marc-Andre Kruska started on Tinga’s position.
There were many so-called experts who before season predicted Hertha BSC Berlin to be a relegation candidate as the capital city club sold many players during the summer transfer window and wasn’t able to add significant signings to the squad. Though the team started slowly into the season, they got their things together and went into the clash with 9 points from 5 matches and table spot 5.
New coach Lucien “Lulu” Favre (not related to the NFL quarterback) lined up those 11 players that got back from Duisburg with 3 points.
From the start Berlin made no doubt about who is boss in the ring. Already within the first 60 seconds the Berlin boys started an attack finding Patrick Ebert on the right side unmarked. His powerful shot from narrow angle forced Roman Weidenfeller to a superb reflex. And it went this way all the first 15 minutes. Though Hertha didn’t have any big chances, there striker Pantelic and midfield wingers Lucio and Ebert had too much space to penetrate BVB’s defence. BVB struggled but didn’t fall. In minute 21 they even had a first chance to score when Polish-Argentinean striker set up for new playmaker Giovanni Federico. Unfortunately the Westphalia-born’s shot passed the left post on the wrong side of the post. And to add another one Petric fired a shot, which was blocked by Berlin defender Arne Friedrich, only 4 minutes later. But it seemed like the Croatian national just adjusted his shot as in minute 31 his effort from 20 metres found goalie Drobny surprised and it was 0-1 for Borussia! Surely not really deserved but who cares?
While the BVB supporters in the away section were delighted, the players on the pitch weren’t able to push Hertha away from their own box. And so consequently in minute 43 a free kick by Patrick Ebert was deflected and found Marko Pantelic 12 metres in front of Roman Weidenfeller’s goal. His fierce shot left BVB’s goalie no chance to save and it was 1-1 just before halftime.
Although Borussia Dortmund didn’t play a good first half, coach Thomas Doll left all starting players on the pitch. And so Hertha again took control of the match. Only 9 minutes into the second half a long pass found Pantelic 5 metres in front of BVB’s box. The Serbian striker didn’t hesitate and fired a powerful shot. Roman Weidenfeller did get his hands to the ball but the deflection found Brazilian winger Lucio on the left side of the box. He had no problem to hit the net leaving Weidenfeller strechting for air – 2-1 for Hertha BSC Berlin.
Thomas Doll threw Delron Buckley and Nelson Valdez onto the pitch and sent Diego Klimowicz and Federico to the shower. Unfortunately that didn’t change anything as Hertha BSC kept pushing BVB into their own half and so consequently in minute 76 a counter-attack found substituted Okoronkwo on the left side of the box. The duel with BVB skipper Christian Wörns left the former German national player looking like a school kid. The young Hertha striker had no problem to play the ball through Roman Weidenfeller’s legs and it was 3-1 for Hertha BSC Berlin.
All BVB had to offer was a late goal by Mladen Petric in minute 88. Though there were still some minutes to play, only Delron Buckley had 2 minor chances from outside the box, that weren’t really a threat for Drobny’s goal.
Our series of 3 wins with no goals against in a row was smashed the hard way. Hertha BSC Berlin was really the better team today and especially Dortmund’s defence looked shaky and not able to get Berlin’s striker’s under control. Now we have to face Hamburger SV at home on Tuesday. As this is Thomas Doll’s former club he is eager to win the match.
Hertha BSC Berlin: Drobny - Chahed, A. Friedrich, Simunic, Fathi - Dardai, Gilberto – Ebert (87th Mineiro), Lucio (75th von Bergen) - Pantelic, André Lima (73rd Okoronkwo)
Coach: Lucien Favre

BVB: Weidenfeller (3) - Kringe (3), Brzenska (4), Wörns (5), Dede (3) - Kruska (4) - Kuba (5) (90th Amedick), Tinga (4) - Federico (5) (58th Buckley (3)) - Klimowicz (4) (71st Valdez), Petric (2)
Coach: Thomas Doll

(Marks: 1=world class, 2=did very well, 3=performance was ok, 4=not enough but not too bad at all, 5=not worth the money, 6=should pay money for playing football)

Goals: 0-1 Petric (31st, left-footed shot, assist: Kuba), 1-1 Pantelic (43rd, right-footed shot, Ebert), 2-1 Lucio (54th, left-footed shot, Pantelic), 3-1 Okoronkwo (76th, right-footed shot), 3-2 Petric (88th, left-footed shot, Buckley)

Yellow cards: Ebert, Chahed / Brzenska

Referee: Kempter

Attendance: 52.237 (Olympiastadion)

Geschrieben von jonam