Dominant win in charity match against BAK

Sandro Schwarz continued with the 3-5-2 formation that the team have recently been using, for the charity game against Berliner AK. In front of Oliver Christensen’s goal, Agustín Rogel, Márton Dárdai and Marc Kempf made up the back three, with the latter two available to the head coach once again after injury. The wing-back positions were occupied by captain Marvin Plattenhardt and Jonjoe Kenny. The midfield-three was made up of Prince Boateng, Lucas Tousart and Tolga Ciğerci, with Wilfried Kanga and Marco Richter upfront. There were three U23 players on the bench in the shape of Joel da Silva Kiala, Mustafa Abdullatif and Nader Jindaoui.

Early double strike – Kanga scores a hat-trick

Hertha started the game with more possession and went into the lead after just five minutes. Lucas Tousart played Wilfried Kanga through, who confidently converted into the bottom right corner (5‘). Just two minutes later and the ball was in the back of the net once more, with Marco Richter guiding home a cross from Marvin Plattenhardt at the back post (7’). But the goalscoring was not finished here and Kanga struck again in the 25th minute. Kenny flashed a ball across the face of goal and Hertha’s number 18 could hardly miss from a yard out. Not long later and the Ivorian had completed his hat-trick. Richter floated a ball to the backpost, with Kanga crashing home a volley from close range. Shortly before the break, Lucas Tousart added his name to the scoresheet. A precise cross from Plattenhardt found an unmarked Tousart in the box and he headed home (42’). Moments later, Kanga could have scored his fourth, but he didn’t manage to convert from close range (44’). Hertha went into half time with a 5-0 lead.

Abdullatif plays for the first time in the first team – BAK score a consolation

Schwarz made five changes at the break, but the Blue-Whites’ dominance didn’t lead to further goals. First a Richter lob only hit the bar (57’), before substitute Nader Jindaoui missed a good chance (65’). Mustafa Abdullatif was also subbed on and made his first appearance in the Hertha first team. While Hertha failed to finish off any attacks, the hosts scored a consolation goal through Bleron Krasniqi, who finished well from inside the box (77’). Moments before full time, Richter fired just over with a shot from distance. In the end, Hertha came away with a 5-1 win.

Schwarz explained after the game: “The first half was very solid. We played well positionally as well as have good spacings and used our possession sensibly. After the break, we continued to play seriously – also in terms of small things. Above all, it was important to play this game in honour of the earthquake victims.”

Berliner AK: Zwick (C) (46‘ Schubert) – Seifert (46‘ Olczyk), Schulz, Klar (41‘ Meyer), Chahed (46‘ Mantatu Rogero), Lang – Yajima (69‘ Asiltekin), Schneider (46‘ Dursun) – Sussek (46‘ Satici), Seaton (46‘ Hajjaj), Yamada (46‘ Krasniqi)

Hertha BSC: Christensen (46‘ Kwasigroch) – Dárdai (46‘ da Silva Kiala), Kempf (46‘ Eitschberger), Rogel – Plattenhardt (C) (46‘ Mittelstädt), Prince (62‘ Jindaoui), Ciğerci (46‘ Šunjić), Tousart (62‘ Abdullatif), Kenny – Richter, Kanga

Tore: 0-1 Kanga (5‘), 0-2 Richter (7‘), 0-3 Kanga (25‘), 0-4 Kanga (30‘), 0-5 Tousart (42‘), 1-5 Krasniqi (77‘)

Yellow cards: –

Referee: Philipp Gentsch

Attendance: 2,444