Hertha come back to draw against Nürnberg

Pál Dárdai made just one change from the side which put five past Schalke last time out – Jonjoe Kenny, who was suspended for that game, returned to the starting XI in place of Deyovaisio Zeefuik.

The visitors take an early lead

Hertha started brightly, with Haris Tabaković having the game’s first shot in the 2nd minute, but it was the visitors who took an early lead after Can Uzun’s effort took a cruel deflection off Linus Gechter and sailed past Marius Gersbeck (14’), who was again deputising for the injured Tjark Ernst.

The Old Lady came close to an equaliser on 26 minutes as Jeremy Dudziak directed a header towards goal, but that attempt quickly turned into another opportunity for the visitors, who broke quickly and forced a good save from Gersbeck. Nürnberg’s next chance would see them double their advantage – an unfortunate mix-up in the defence left Lukas Kehler with a clear view of the Hertha goal, and he finished coolly to make it 2-0.

On the stroke of half-time, the situation improved somewhat for Hertha as they clawed one back courtesy of a Marten Winkler header from a Fabian Reese cross. Carl Klaus got a firm hand to it and appeared to have made a save, but goal-line technology confirmed that the ball had already crossed the line to half Hertha's deficit.

Terrific Tabaković salvages a point

The second half began with a double change, as Aymen Barkok and Florian Niederlechner were introduced in place of Maza and Dudziak. Those alterations initially failed to provide the desired impetus, however, as Uzun added his second of the game two minutes after the restart.

Tabaković gave Hertha hope in the 54th minute, nodding in Jonjoe Kenny’s ball from the right, before levelling the scores from the spot just a minute later after Kenny was fouled in the 18-yard box. Though Hertha had the momentum and went on the hunt for a winner, the game largely fizzled out in the final half-hour. Nürnberg did have one final chance in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but Gersbeck stayed sharp to keep out Joseph Hungbo’s shot and ensure a point for the capital club. Hertha will be in action again next Friday (05.04, 18:30 CEST) as they visit SC Paderborn.

Speaking after the game, goalscorer Tabaković said: "We felt like we could have made it 4-3. We can still be happy that we came back from 3-1 down, though. I think overall it was a fair result. I can't explain why we switched off at the start of the second half. That was tough to take. But the team's mentality was right afterwards - we gave it everything. We'll take the point."

Hertha BSC: Gersbeck– Kenny (Prevljak 82’), Gechter, M. Dárdai, Karbownik – Klemens (Zeefuik 57’), Dudziak (Barkok 46’) – Winkler (P. Dárdai 65’), Maza (Niederlechner 46’), Reese (C) – Tabaković

1. FC Nürnberg: Klaus – Gyamerah (C), Jeltsch, Horn (Marquez 85’), Brown – Flick – B. Goller (Wekesser 65’), Castrop, Uzun (Duman 85’), Okunuki (Hungbo 76’) – Schleimer

Goals: 0-1 Uzun (14’), 0-2 Schleimer (33’), 1-2 Winkler (45’), 1-3 Uzun (47’), 2-3 Tabaković (54’), 3-3 Tabaković (56’, P)

Referee: Alexander Sather

Yellow cards: Kenny, Winkler, Niederlechner, P. Dárdai – Horn, Duman

Attendance: 51,981