Defeat against Wolfsburg

Just three day after the Bundesliga restart away at VfL Bochum, Hertha faced their next challenge in the Bundesliga in the shape of VfL Wolfsburg. Sandro Schwarz made two changes to the side that started against Bochum, with Suat Serdar coming in for Jean-Paul Boëtius in midfield and Dodi Lukébakio replacing Derry Scherhant on the wing.

False start and two further setbacks

Wolfsburg travelled to Berlin having won five games in a row, and started attackingly before soon taking the lead. Patrick Wimmer played a freekick from the right-hand side into the penalty area, where Mattias Svanberg met it on the half volley and clipped it into the bottom corner (4’). In the following period, the Wolves had a lot of the ball without creating many clear-cut chances. They looked dangerous again around the middle of the half, as Svanberg once again finished following a cross from Wimmer, but this time the flag was raised for offside (24’). At the other end, Maxi Mittelstädt shot from the outside of the box following a corner, but his effort went high and wide (25’).

After Agustín Rogel had fouled Wimmer right on the edge of the box, Lukébakio blocked the resulting Svanberg freekick with his arm and referee Tobias Reichel pointed to the spot. Maximilian Arnold put away the resulting penatly (31‘). Moments later it got worse, with Svanberg heading an Arnold pass onto Jonas Wind, who kept his nerve and clipped the ball over fellow countryman Oliver Christensen to put the visitors 3-0 up. Wolfsburg went into the break with a clear lead.

Momentum after triple change, but two further goals

There were three Hertha changes at half time, with Filip Uremović, Marvin Plattenhardt and Jessic Ngankam replacing Rogel, Mittelstädt and Ivan Šunjić. Head coach Schwarz set up the side in a 4-4-2 formation. This change made an impact, with a Lukébakio effort sailing wide of the right-hand post (51’). There was another chance following a Plattenhardt corner, but Uremović headed straight at Koen Casteels (64’). At the other end, Wolfsburg made use of their first chance of the second half, with Svanberg finding Ridle Baku at the back post, who slotted past Christensen (72’). But that was not the end of it. Substitute Omar Marmoush further increased the lead with a solo run and finish, meaning a final score of 5-0 in favour of the visitors (87’).

The next home game for the ‘Old Lady’ takes place on Saturday (28.01.23, 15:30 CET), with the team hosting 1. FC Union.

Hertha BSC: Christensen – Kenny (87’ Pekarík), Rogel (46’ Uremović), Kempf, Mittelstädt (46’ Plattenhardt) – Šunjić (46’ Ngankam), Tousart (C) – Lukébakio, Serdar, Richter (64’ Scherhant) – Kanga

VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Baku, Lacroix, Bornauw, van de Ven – Gerhardt (70’ Guilavogui), Arnold (C) (83’ Waldschmidt), Svanberg – Wimmer (70’ Paredes), Wind (78’ Marmoush), Kaminski (78’ Franjić)

Goals: 0-1 Svanberg (4’), 0-2 Arnold (31’), 0-3 Wind (34’), 0-4 Baku (72’), 0-5 Marmoush (87’)

Referee: Tobias Reichel

Yellow cards: Rogel, Lukébakio 

Attendance: 29,483