Saturday 20th November 2021
Hertha has no chance
Union does it graciously in front of a full house
Union Berlin can celebrate an undisputed Derby victory: Against Hertha BSC you quickly set the course with an early goal .. The guests have almost no chance, while Union still misses several top-class chances.
The blissful Union fans sang about themselves and their club as “city champions, city champions” and gave their unloved neighbors a loud voice: “If you see Hertha, this is how it is done!” In the An der Alten Försterei stadium, which was sold out despite the corona record numbers, 1. FC Union impressively underpinned its supremacy in the capital. With the 2-0 (2-0), the iron climbed in the table of the Bundesliga on European Cup fifth place.
While the Unioners were enjoying their lap of honor, the professionals from Hertha BSC sneaked into the dressing room, abused by their own fans. “I’ve never had stomach cramps, I’ve seen a lot in my life,” said Hertha coach Pal Dardai after the game in front of 22 012 spectators on Sky. “The goals we conceded were unnecessary.” In view of the second half, Union “deservedly won”. Hertha is 13th and only three points ahead of the relegation place with 13 points. “The chances we had were harmless,” said Dardai.
“Seen what we are capable of”
Taiwo Awoniyi took the lead in the eighth minute, while captain Christopher Trimmel (30th) increased for coach Urs Fischer’s team before the break. After three league games without a win without Max Kruse, the Unioners celebrated the prestigious victory in the derby, which Union won twice in the Bundesliga and Hertha twice, when the former national player returned to match the preparation for the Conference League game on Thursday at Maccabi Haifa and once neither of them.
“You saw what we are capable of, not just playfully but also combatively,” said Kruse. For the first time since the 1-0 win two years ago, both teams played against each other again in front of fans after the Unioners had received permission from the Berlin Senate to operate at full capacity under 2G conditions. “I am happy and know that everyone is responsible for dealing with it,” said Union President Dirk Zingler at Sky. His players showed the fans great commitment right from the start in an intensely physical game that quickly ran through a major mistake by Marton Dardai in favor of the Unioners.
After a pass into the top by Nico Gießelmann, Hertha coach Pal Dardai’s son did not hit the ball properly. An opportunity that Unions Torgarant Awoniyi did not miss and, in the face of the 2400 Hertha fans, pushed Alexander Schwolow for the lead. What lasted at the last derby in the Köpenick cult site until shortly before the end of the 1-0 victory at the time, became at the fifth capital derby in the Bundesliga at the start of the dream for the Iron and the derby test for the Herthaners, who last participated seven points from four games had seen a slight upward trend.
Hertha is just trying
Pal Dardai’s team, in which striker Stevan Jovetic was missing after he tested positive for the corona virus again, fell into the trap of the tactically clever hosts again and again. At the center line at the latest, the Unioners made the rooms tight and Hertha lost the balls. However, Kruse and Grischa Prömel (22nd and 25th) failed to extend the lead. That made right-back Trimmel after a corner with a low shot from the right side diagonally through the Hertha penalty area into the far corner with his first goal of the season.
While a defender also met at Union, Hertha struggled for the first shot towards goal in the 37th minute by attacker Peter Pekarik. In stoppage time of the first half, he even cheered with the Hertha team about his alleged 1: 2, but the video evidence showed: no goal, offside. Then there was a break. When the attempt to run up the guests was unsuccessful even after the break, Pal Dardai sent Kevin-Prince Boateng onto the field, among others. Previously, the veteran counterpart on the Union side almost made it 3-0 – Schwolow saved with his fingertips.
The hosts remained dangerous even after that, Herthas was at least the effort not to deny. But it can hardly be built on before the home game next Saturday against FC Augsburg, who are only one point worse.