Berlin’s Hertha stumbled on its way up in the second division. The capital club initially came from behind against Karlsruher SC, but then gave up the win on Saturday evening (November 11th, 2023) – in the end it was a fair 2-2.
“We wasted 25 minutes at the beginning, that’s not possible,” said Hertha coach Pal Dardai afterwards: “We saved ourselves with mentality, had enough chances – and in the end we could even lose.”
Initially the game in the Olympic Stadium went in favor of the guests. In a rather chaotic defensive situation after a corner, Deyovaisio Zeefuik – pressed by Jerome Gondorf – maneuvered the ball into his own goal in the 10th minute.
Reese surprises Drewes
Karlsruhe was not undeservedly leading at this point, but failed to add decisively. So the Berliners equalized after half an hour out of absolutely nowhere: coach’s son Marton Dardai initiated the attack, then Fabian Reese headed the left cross from a long distance over the bewildered KSC keeper Patrick Drewes into the far corner – 1: 1.
To the live ticker: Hertha – Karlsruhe arrow right 13th matchday arrow right
The Berliners took the lead before the break – and again Drewes didn’t look particularly brilliant. After his failed clearance in the 42nd minute, Haris Tabakovic kept the ball in play with his heel, while in the center Florian Niederlechner headed the ball over the line to make it 2-1.
Reese misses the preliminary decision
And Drewese remained at the center of the action even after the break. After an hour, his bad pass in the build-up game landed at Reese, who overlooked his free-standing colleagues in the center and finished himself – the ball bounced back into the field from the inside post.
And the Berliners had further chances and now clearly dominated the KSC. But following a brilliant pass from Smail Prevljak, Tabakovic (78th) missed the potential 3-1, as did Pascal Klemens shortly afterwards after Tabakovic’s pass.
Compensation by Jensen
As is so often the case in football, this usury of opportunities took its toll. In the 81st minute, Gondorf fed Leon Jensen, who immediately looked for a shot. The Berliners Marc-Oliver Kempf and Toni Leistner wanted to save, but only deflected the ball, so that Tjark Ernst ultimately had no chance in the Hertha goal – 2:2. Afterwards, both teams played to win, so in the end the division of points was quite okay.
Hertha’s goalscorer Reese was annoyed: “At the beginning we didn’t get in well, then we deservedly turned the game around and had several chances to put the lid on it. Inside the post – I can do that and I have to do that. We play at Hertha BSC and want to win every game. You have to deal with the pressure, otherwise you can’t and aren’t allowed to play here. We’ve drawn twice now – that can’t be our aim.”
“We missed the big point”
KSC coach Christian Eichner wasn’t really happy either: “We started the game very well and were right to take the lead. Then the opponent got better and we became more passive. However, we can’t be 2-1 down at the break, that’s crazy for us “It was me. Then Hertha missed the preliminary decision with all the ball possession we had and left us alive. Then we are always able to hit back, but in the end we missed the big point through Lars Stindl.”
After the international break, Hertha BSC opens the 14th matchday away to Hannover 96 (Friday, December 24th, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.). Karlsruhe hosts 1. FC Nürnberg two days later (1:30 p.m.).
