Fifth goalkeeper, next debacle – Hertha’s unchecked crash
Hertha BSC continues to lose in the Bundesliga. In the defeat in Freiburg, however, there is one winner for the Berliners – the fifth goalkeeper. And: Borussia Mönchengladbach is back with great morale. The highlights of the 24th Bundesliga matchday at a glance.
Dhe SC Freiburg remains in the running for international business: the Breisgauers already have 40 points after beating Hertha BSC 3-0 (1-0), while Berlin remains in the bottom of the table.
Hertha went into the game with many injuries and corona failures: This is how goalkeeper Marcel Lotka made his Bundesliga debut. He was number 5 before the game, plays in the regional league and pushed Nils-Jonathan Körber onto the bench. A strong start from Lotka in the 6th minute, who parried a good free-kick from Vincenzo Grifo. The Italian then made it 1-0 for Freiburg with a penalty (12th). Debutant Lotka had no chance, but continued to impress and deflected a long-range shot from Maximilian Eggestein around the post (34th).
Hertha’s goalkeeper Marcel Lotka has no chance against Vincenzo Grifo’s penalty
Source: dpa/Philipp von Ditfurth
In the second half, Hertha put on the pressure: Marco Richter was about to equalize in the 63rd minute, but was denied by Flekken. In the 83rd the decision: 2-0 by Kevin Schade. Now Hertha collapsed: After a rebound from the post, Lucas Höler made it 3-0 (86th) for the Breisgau team, who have already achieved their goal for the season.
For the first time in 16 years, Hertha remained without a win in the first seven games in the second half of the season (two draws, five defeats) and is last in the second half of the table.
Borussia Monchengladbach – VfL Wolfsburg 2:2
There were still eight minutes to play on Saturday when cheers erupted in Borussia Park. The goal that Breel Embolo had just scored did not give Mönchengladbach a win. But at least one point against VfL Wolfsburg, against which Adi Hütter’s team was 2-0 behind. The way it came to 2: 2 (1: 2) gives hope again after the 0: 6 debacle at BVB last week.
Before kick-off there was not just a minute’s silence in Borussia Park because of the war in Ukraine. The appendix and teams also commemorated Jordi Bongard. The 20-year-old Gladbach U23 defender died in a traffic accident on Wednesday.
Six minutes were played when VfL took the lead. After a cross from Ridle Baku, Jonas Wind scored to make it 1-0. In the 19th minute, VfL goalkeeper Koen Casteels saved a shot from Jonas Hofmann. It was the first chance of the game for Gladbach, who were the more active team but very vulnerable at the back. There was proof of this in the 33rd minute when Sebastiaan Bornauw headed in a corner from Maximilian Philipp to make it 2-0.
But Gladbach did not give up. Marcus Thuram headed the lead to make it 2-1 before the break (42′). From the 70th the hosts, who were lucky that there was no penalty after a foul on Max Kruse in the 66th, played with one man more. Maurice Laxcroix saw red for a hand ball after video evidence. In the 82nd Embolo headed the acclaimed equaliser. Matthias Ginter’s goal in added time was disallowed. Patrick had previously fouled Hermann.
Union Berlin – Mainz 05 3: 1
It also works without Max Kruse. After three defeats without a goal of their own, 1. FC Union won again. The Berliners beat Mainz 3-1 (1-0), it was the first win after Kruse’s move to Wolfsburg.
Union fans didn’t have to wait long for the redeeming goal. Genki Haraguchi scored in the seventh minute. The Berliners dictated the game and increased when Sheraldo Becker flicked the ball into the corner (56′). Four minutes later Dominik Kohr from Mainz saw yellow-red – the game was decided. Taiwo Awoniyi scored to make it 3-0 (75′), Burgzorg’s goal came too late (90′).
Greuther Furth – 1. FC Cologne 1:1
It doesn’t seem realistic, but thanks to the sixth home game in a row, the bottom of the table can continue to believe in staying up. It was enough for Greuther Fürth to draw 1-1 (0-0) against 1. FC Köln.
In a lively game, both teams could have taken the lead early on, but Cologne’s Özcan had the most spectacular scene, hitting the crossbar with a heel (15′). As it was, the guest tour was less sensational. A cross from Kainz, which found its way into the goal (51′). Fürth earned the point with a header from Griesbeck after a corner (69′).
Bayer Leverkusen – Arminia Bielefeld 3:0
There was little sign of the loss of the top scorer when Bayer Leverkusen played. Even without Patrik Schick, who is suffering from a torn muscle fibre, the Werkself beat Arminia Bielefeld 3-0 (1-0) and secured third place in the table. Schick representative Lucas Alario was directly dangerous. The Argentine gave Leverkusen the lead from close range (30′). Paulinho had previously shot himself in the hand – the goal still counted.
Bielefeld rarely posed a threat in the second half after Gonzalo Castro, who played for Bayer from 1999 to 2015, came on. Instead, the guests helped a lot in deciding the game. Defender Guilherme Ramos’ ball bounced twice right at the feet of Moussa Diaby, who kept his nerve in front of keeper Stefan Ortega (57′, 81′).
