Bayern Munich can save the Berlin players
Bad luck and mistakes worry Herta
05/07/2022 at 8:30 pm
On the 33rd day of the match, Hertha Berlin managed to stay at the level of the Bundesliga after a turbulent season, but missed the first match point. Now the Berlin players must hope that Bayern will win so that they no longer have to worry about the final round.
Felix Magath must continue to worry about Hertha FC and now he keeps his fingers crossed with Bayern Munich. With 1:2 (0:1) against 1. FSV Mainz 05, the Berlin players miss the prospect of their early relegation to the Bundesliga. Sylvain Widmer (25th minute) and Stefan Bell (81st) spoiled the hoped-for celebration in front of their fans for Hertha and their coach Magath, who was brought in as a savior in March. Only Davy Silk (45 + 5) equalized the penalty kick.
With a four-point lead over Stuttgart, Hertha will be saved this weekend if Swabians lose to Bayern on Sunday. However: if Stuttgart manages to draw with the last dormant champion, Hertha must score points in Borussia Dortmund on the last day of the match, otherwise there is a risk of 16th place and relegation to the second division of the third division.
Pros end fan boycott
The frame was actually just right for a landing party in Berlin. The Olympic stadium, which holds almost 71,548 spectators, was sold out and the Hertha professionals were surprised with a clever gesture. Shortly before kick-off, they ended a fan boycott over a feud with their fans after the derby’s defeat to Union Berlin in April and ran en masse to the east bend. The spark jumped, and the support was there.
Magath once again relied on the all-blue shirt trick, which was a lucky charm in the 2-0 win in the previous home game against Stuttgart. Facing the Swabians, Hertha immediately ran bravely. Silke (fifth) dropped the ball after Alexander Huck slipped, but the striker twisted. Facing Stuttgart, the Berliners soon fell into a strange passivity – only this time with no leadership in the rear.
Mainz didn’t have to try very hard to control the match and then involuntarily got help from Marcel Lutka, of all the highly praised people who compared Magath to young Oliver Kahn shortly before kick-off. Hertha goalkeeper’s relatively harmless shot slid from an acute angle under his body towards the goal.
After hitting and offsetting is not allowed
Herta now needs a captain. Kevin-Prince Boateng (27) attempted a shot from distance. However, the clear sign of more courage and offensive power did not come – until the injury time of the first half. Referee Patrick Eitrich decided on a penalty after studying the video, perhaps to the surprise of some Hertha fans. In fact, Moussa Niachate kicked Berlin player Dedrick Boyata in the heel. Selke definitely turned.
The match remained a source of concern for Hertha in the second half. And there was excitement too: Etrich rejected a goal for Mainz due to a handball by Karim Onisio (52nd). Lutka saved with a great reaction when Anton Stach headed the ball (74). Mainz pressed hard for the winning goal and was rewarded with a Bell header. So Herta was punished for his passivity. Only then did the hosts wake up again. Luca Volschlager hit the post (89′), Selke’s goal was disallowed due to a foul (90′ + 1′).