Without brilliance but highly deserved, Hertha, who dominated for long stretches, secured a 2-0 working victory against a harmless Bielefeld.
On his home debut, Hertha coach Tayfun Korkut watched a nervous and unsettled opening period with possession changing frequently.
Nilsson clears Serdar on the line
After ten minutes the Old Lady, who had replaced Pekarik (muscular problems), Torunarigha and Maolida (both on the bench) with Zeefuik, Stark and Serdar in the 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart, began to structure the game. Almost every minute, Stark (10th), Belfodil (11th) and especially Serdar (12th, 14th) missed the lead.
Arminia, unchanged by coach Frank Kramer compared to the 1:1 against Cologne, were initially confronted mainly with defensive tasks. It was not until midway through the first half that DSC freed themselves from their grip and relieved themselves better, without spraying any goal threat themselves.
The Berliners had lost their initial momentum, but remained the more active team. The Korkut team only managed to seriously threaten the well-positioned visitors sporadically until the end of the match. The East Westphalians had to take a breath when Ortega Moreno unorthodoxly saved Darida’s hammer from distance (36th). Jovetic’s goal was rightly disallowed for offside (42nd minute).
Jovetic finishes well worth seeing
But soon after the restart the Montenegrin was allowed to cheer. After Hertha’s best combination up to that point, Jovetic finished off Belfodil’s pass without humour and technically well worth seeing – as in Stuttgart, the two attackers had worked well together (53rd).
Kramer reacted to the weak offensive performance of his team with a double change, Lasme and Krüger came on for Kunze and Klos (61). And Krüger had the first – and in the end only – compelling chance for DSC against a now deeper-packed Berlin team after Zeefuik’s repeated insecurity (65).
Belfodil, in particular, was a source of trouble on the counter-attacks, and after his pass Jovetic shot at the outside of the net (72nd). The best chance to increase the lead was missed by Boyata after Plattenhardt’s corner, when he headed centimetres past (73rd).
Kramer exhausted his offensive options with another double change, Korkut had also readjusted his team for the final phase. Arminia pressed without much of an idea, Hertha counter-attacked – and missed the decision through Joker Piatek, Ortega Moreno saved (83.).
Joker Selke makes everything clear
The all-important home win for the Berliners, who distanced rivals Bielefeld to eight points, was secured by wild card Selke after a misplaced pass in Arminia’s defence (90.+5).
Both teams are back in action on Tuesday from 20.30: Hertha in Mainz, Arminia receives promoted Bochum at the Alm.
