Bundesliga on Friday
Late shock makes Schwarz and Hertha suffer
Lucas Tousart (l) from Berlin celebrates his 1-0 goal with Dodi Lukebakio (M) and Chidera Ejuke. photo
© Thomas Frey/dpa
Hertha BSC gets the next point on its arduous way out of the crisis, but also leaves two points in Mainz. Trainer Schwarz draws a positive interim conclusion, but is also critical.
Sandro Schwarz started the return journey from his old homeland a little upset. Having conceded the last goal was “extremely bitter,” said the Hertha BSC coach after the 1-1 (1-1) draw at his ex-club 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Friday evening. “It feels brutal.” After the experience from the previous week, in which the Berliners had conceded the equalizer against Bayer Leverkusen (2: 2), also in the final phase, even more.
Five points from the last three games in the Bundesliga are not a bad record for the team that was almost relegated last season. However, after the 1-1 draw from Mainz’s Anthony Caci in the fourth minute of added time, Hertha felt like it needed to be two points more.
The 3-1 defeat in the city derby against Union at the beginning of the season “would have hurt particularly badly,” said Schwarz, when he was supposed to draw a first interim conclusion of his tenure at Hertha, which has lasted since the summer. “After that we delivered very decent games in terms of performance and content.” In one or the other phase, however, one was too passive. You have to be critical about that.
This also applied to the game in Mainz, which was still without a win at home this season. After being largely in control of the first half and taking the lead with a header from Lucas Tousart in the 30th minute, Hertha engaged in a “wrestling match” with Rheinhessen in the second half, as Schwarz put it. The receipt was given at the very last second.
“It hurts today, but I don’t think that can be seen as a setback,” said Berlin defender Marc Oliver Kempf. Bringing such tight tours over time in the future will now be the “next step”. The 27-year-old was substituted at half-time, but gave the all-clear for the upcoming league game against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on October 2nd. From Berlin’s point of view, it should be less painful than the game on Friday evening.