Hertha's Champion's party on hold

Hertha’s fine ten game unbeaten run was ended on Monday evening, as they lost 1-2 at home to 1860 München, in a division two round 32 encounter at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Pierre Michel Lasogga fired the home side ahead fifteen minutes into the second half, but goals by Aygün and Buck proved too much for the capital city side, who won promotion last time out by way of a 1-0 win in Duisburg. Lasogga and Raffael both picked up fifth bookings, so they will miss the penultimate game of the season away to Erzgebirge Aue next Sunday.

Berlin boss Markus Babbel made one change to the side which secured promotion to the Bundesliga at the first time of asking by beating MSV Duisburg 1-0 away last time out. Brazilian utility man Raffael returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Nikita Rukavytsya. Babbel’s 1860 counterpart Reiner Maurer followed suit and made just the one change to his team which beat Fürth 3-0 in round 31. Schwarz played at left back instead of Ignjovski.

The home side took the early initative and won their first free kick inside two minutes. Ebert’s free kick however only served as a starter for an 1860 counter attack, which was missed by Lauth. Hertha’s first chance came through Kobiashvili who was sensationally played in by Raffael. The Georgian veteran though could only hit the side-netting. Then both sides tried their luck from distance, but Raffael (15.) at one end, and Aigner (10.) and Lauth (18.) at the other failed to produce a breakthrough.

On 26 minutes the visitors had a decent opportunity, as Lustenberger just about headed a Lauth free kick away for a corner. That corner was missed by Hertha keeper Aerts and Stahl headed the ball towards goal, where Kobiashvili prevented 1860 from taking the lead by heading the ball off the line. Moments later Raffael should have scored but was found wanting in accuracy, as he tried to lob former Hertha keeper Kiraly between the 1860 posts (29.). The final fifteen minutes of the opening half were riddled with poor passing by both sides so the game was goalless at the break.

Four minutes into the second half Aigner threatened as he got a shot in on the turn. Aerts could only parry the ball into the middle and his defenders somehow cleared the danger. A major let off for the Berliners to say the least. Niggly fouls began to influence the flow of play (if it could be called that) and goalmouth action was at a minimum. On the hour mark though, the home side broke the deadlock out of the blue. Lell beat Halfar near the corner flag, from where he passed the ball into the area, where Lasogga was lurking to score his 13th goal of the season with a simple tap in (60.).

The visitors only needed three minutes to draw level. and once again Lauth played a long ball into the Berlin box where Aygün finished well to level for 1860 (63.). Only seven minutes later München tried the same ploy, Lauth’s long ball again and this time Buck finished by sliding the ball home at the far post (70.).

Despite the superb support from their voiciferous fans, Hertha never recovered from that double whammy. Instead of creating scoring chances, bookings for Schulz (80.), Raffael (83.) and Lell (85.) were the only things worthy of note. Three minutes into injury time Lasogga “scored” but was ruled to be offside. Moments later match referee Steuer blew  for time.

Hertha’s penultimate game of the season is away to Aue next Sunday.

Match details:

Hertha BSC: Aerts – Lell, Hubnik, Mijatovic, Kobiashvili – Niemeyer (79. Domovchiyski), Lustenberger – Ebert (66. Schulz), Raffael, Ramos – Lasogga

1860 München: Kiraly – Rukavina, Aygün, Buck, Schwarz (56. Schindler) – Aigner, Stahl, Bülow, Halfar (88. Bierofka) – Lauth (90. Rakic), Volland

Goals: 1-0 Lasogga (60.) 1-1 Aygün (63.) 1-2 Buck (70.)

Booked: Lasogga, Lustenberger, Schulz, Raffael, Lell / B. Schwarz, Buck

Referee: Florian Steuer