Bundesliga debutant Jurgen Ekkelenkamp led Hertha BSC to a 2-1 win against newly promoted SpVgg Greuther Fürth. The blue-whites secure a place in the middle of the table. After the fourth defeat of the season, Fürth remains at the bottom with one point.
Ekkelenkamp (61st) scored the equalizer just 87 seconds after being substituted on and then decisively disturbed Maximilian Bauer (79th, own goal) with the opening goal. Previously, Fürth had taken the lead through Branimir Hrgota (57th, penalty kick). The newcomer is an “excellent footballer, I said from the start that we would have a lot of fun with him,” said Hertha coach Pal Dardai at DAZN: “This was now the first part.”
Hertha tried to play the active part in front of almost 21,400 spectators at the beginning, but it was visibly difficult to design the game. A lot went through the headquarters around ball distributor Kevin-Prince Boateng and the more offensive Suat Serdar. The early pressing of the Fürth team, however, had an effect, and there were no play stations. Dardai’s team had set-up problems, lost the balls early and allowed the newly promoted team to take offensive actions.
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was initially the better team. But Fürth also lacked great opportunities. Serdar presented one of these: The 24-year-old was well staged by Ishak Belfodil. At the end of around 16 meters, Serdar aimed just wide of the mark (16th).
Captain Boyata is injured
The action still gave the Berliners a boost. Hertha found a better passport security for a short time. The injury to captain Dedryck Boyata (27th) caused a quick break in the Berlin upswing. The central defender limped off the field and increased the existing personnel problems on the defensive. The 17-year-old Linus Gechter had to step in.
Fürth did not hide and played at eye level for long periods of the first half. Hertha goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow was not seriously challenged.
After switching sides, little changed at first. Hertha lacked the structure in the game, standards fizzled out. Fürth also made little of their possession, but were able to thank Deyovaisio Zeefuik, who carelessly brought down Jeremy Dudziak in the penalty area. Hrgota showed no nakedness and took the lead.
Dardai reacted by joining new signing Ekkelenkamp – and hit the bull’s eye. The 21-year-old, trained in the youth academy of Ajax Amsterdam, breathed new life into Hertha in less than two minutes with a header after a corner. Hertha was back in the game, pushed for the lead and won.