Hertha put four past Rostock

Pál Dárdai made four changes to the XI that started in the dramatic win over Paderborn. Tjark Ernst replaced Marius Gersbeck in between the sticks, with Marc Kempf taking the place of Linus Gechter at centre-back. Deyovaisio Zeefuik stepped in for the injured Pascal Klemens in midfield, while Marten Winkler returned to the side after serving a suspension.

Winkler sets up Palkó

Haris Tabaković had the first big opportunity of the match at the Olympiastadion, but he didn’t connect well enough with his shot and it trickled past the far post (6’). Hertha would take the lead just over ten minutes later, however. Marten Winkler put a cross in towards Palkó Dárdai, who headed home from close range to score his third goal of the season and break the deadlock (18’).

Hertha dominated possession and did not give the away side many opportunities to get themselves back in the game. Tabakovic had another big chance to double Hertha’s advantage, but a spectacular reflex save from Rostock keeper Markus Kolke kept the score 1-0 (27’). The referee pointed to the spot just after the half-an-hour mark, as Simon Rhein blocked a powerful effort from Jonjoe Kenny with his arm. Captain Fabian Reese stepped up and coolly slotted the penalty past Kolke to give the Blue-Whites a two-goal cushion (31’). The home side would continue to pile the pressure on the opposition, but were unable to add to their lead before the half-time whistle.

Matte and Palkó combine again before Tabaković seals the deal

Rostock looked much better at the start of the second 45, but Hertha would compound the visitors’ misery in the 58th minute. Winkler broke free down the left-hand side and, once again, found Palkó Dárdai in the box. BSC’s number 27 was just as clinical as he was in the first half and swept the ball into the back of the net to add to Hertha’s tally. Winkler continued his spectacular recent run of form, as the 21-year-old has three goals and two assists to his name in his last three appearances for the club.

As the game drew to a close, the Old Lady found time for one more goal. Substitute Maza played a beautiful ball through to Tabaković, who closed in on the opposition’s goal and smashed the ball into the bottom-left corner to seal the win for BSC. Hertha are back on the road again next weekend, as they take on Karlsruher SC next Sunday (13:30 CEST)

After the game, Palkó Dárdai expressed his happiness with the performance and the result: “It was great. It was a full house and a fun match. We played well and stayed calm when we were on the ball. It was a great game.”
 

Hertha BSC: Ernst – Kenny, Kempf, M. Dárdai (79' Leistner), Karbownik – Zeefuik (58' Bouchalakis), Barkok (72' Hussein) – Winkler (79' Scherhant), P. Dárdai (72' Maza), Reese (C) – Tabaković

F.C. Hansa Rostock: Kolke (C) – David, Roßbach, Stafylidis (80' Ruschke) – Neidhart, Rhein (46' Vasiliadis), Dressel, Schumacher (46' Strauß) – Pröger (89' Bachmann), Junior Brumado (72' Pereia), Ingelsson

Goals: 1-0 P. Dárdai (18'), 2-0 Reese (31', pen), 3-0 P. Dárdai (59'), 4-0 Tabaković (87')

Referee: Robin Braun

Yellow cards: Zeefuik – Ingelsson, Vasiliadis

Attendance: 62,177