Despite plenty of heart, Hertha lose 3-2 to Bayern

Sandro Schwarz made two changes to his starting eleven for the visit of Germany’s most successful club. Jean-Paul Boëtius started in the place of the injured Stevan Jovetić. Davie Selke also came in for Wilfried Kanga, who having had a stomach bug during the week was only fit enough to make the bench. Prince Boateng also made the bench for the first time since October, while Manuel Neuer celebrated his comeback for the visitors.

The first opportunity of the game fell to Hertha, who set up in a 4-3-3 formation. Dodi Lukébakio beat Dayot Upamecano for pace before shooting from a tight angle. Neuer was equal to his shot (4’). Bayern had more possession but the Blue-Whites won more challenges and had the next shot through Selke (10’). Not two minutes later, however, and it was the visitors from Bavaria who showed their clinical side. Sadio Mané played the ball onto the onrushing Jamal Musiala after Hertha had given the ball away, giving Oliver Christensen no chance from close range (12’). Bayern took the lead with their first dangerous chance of the game. Hertha didn’t lack in fight and passion, and for the most part had Bayern’s attack under control. Christensen saved from Mané after he broke through (24’). Despite being behind, Hertha remained brave in possession. Marco Richter had a shot from the edge of the box which Neuer had to be at full-stretch to save (27’).

Hertha respond in crazy few minutes before half time!

Hertha had recorded more shots with ten minutes to go until half time and had put in a good showing. This quickly changed and initially it seemed that luck was not going the team’s way, with Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting twice finding himself in the right place at the right time and scoring rebounds (37’, 38’). Hertha found a near instant reply, with Lukébakio volleying home a controlled effort with his weaker foot, before Selke confidently converted a penalty he himself had one to bring the score to 3-2 and cut the deficit to just one goal (44’). Hertha went into half time narrowly behind after a courageous performance.

The early stages of the second half, understandably, did not contain as many goals as the end of the first. Nevertheless, the game remained competitive and intensely-fought, with both teams putting in good performances. Kempf made a brilliant tackle when Musiala appeared through on goal (54’). Just after this it seemed as though Hertha would be going 4-2 behind, but fortune favours the brave, with Agustín Rogel’s own goal being ruled out by VAR due to an offside in the build-up (59’). After just over an hour, Schwarz made a triple change, bringing Kanga, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Chidera Ejuke into the fray to replace Selke, Marvin Plattenhardt and Suat Serdar (64’).

As the game was coming to its conclusion, a sold-out crowd at the Olympiastadion pushed the team on. The effort was there, with a through ball by Lucas Tousart almost finding Lukébakio in a good position (73’). A later attempt by substitute Myziane Maolida to assist a teammate was just underhit (79’), while an Ejuke cross was just too high for Kanga (81’) and Jonjoe Kenny was unable to pick out a teammate after being slid through by Lukébakio (90+2’). This meant the score remained 3-2, and despite pushing hard over 90 exciting, nerve-wracking minutes, Hertha were unable to get anything out the game.

Hertha BSC: Christensen – Kenny, Rogel, Kempf, Plattenhardt (C) (64' Mittelstädt) – Tousart (85' Boateng), Serdar (64' Ejuke), Lukébakio, Böetius, Richter (78' Maolida) – Selke (64' Kanga)

FC Bayern München: Neuer (C) – Mazraoui, Upamecano, Pavard, Davies (64' Hernández) – Kimmich, Goretzka (78' Sabitzer), Gnabry (75' Sané), Musiala, Mané (64' Coman) – Choupo-Moting

Goals: 0-1 Musiala (12'), 0-2 Choupo-Moting (37'), 0-3 Choupo-Moting (38'), 1-3 Lukébakio (40'), 2-3 Selke (45') 

Referee: Bastian Dankert

Yellow cards: -

Attendance: 74,667 (sold out)