Koln defeat Hertha 1-3 in end-to-end encounter
Goals from Modeste, Duda, and Thielmann secured all 3 points for Steffen Baumgart's charges.
Visitors FC Koln paid a visit to the German capital for their first game of 2022. Standing in their way, Hertha Berlin, who had a rather successful end to the 2021 half of the season, taking 7 points from a possible 12 in December which included a 3-2 victory over 2nd placed BVB.
Despite the Olympiastadion surface looking a little worse for wear, largely thanks to the icy conditions over the winter break, both teams started the game in lively fashion. Hertha settled slightly the better of the two sides in the early encounters. Both Maolida and Richter found themselves on the end of a goal scoring opportunities, however the pair failed to trouble Schwabe in the Koln goal.
A brilliant cross from Uth picked out Duda in the 19th minute which presented the best opportunity of the game thus far. The Slovak’s volleyed effort brought the best out of Schwolow between the posts to keep the scores 0-0.
Schwabe was swiftly called into action on 27 minutes, pulling off a fine save to deny Maolida from point-blank range. Moments later, Modeste put Koln a goal up at the opposite end highlighting the seesaw nature of the affair. Another brilliant Uth delivery from the wing presented the Frenchman with a routine header to fire home from 7-yards. A one goal lead quickly became two for the visitors. Duda latched onto Stark’s loose clearance on the edge of the box, squeezing his shot beneath the despairing Schwolow for 0-2.
Seventeen minutes after the half-time break and Tayfun Korkut’s Hertha clawed themselves back into the game through veteran Vladimir Darida. The Czech midfielder whipped a dangerous freekick in from the left sideline where the ball managed to avoid any contact with players and bounce into the net for 1-2.
Despite the Hertha faithful in the reduced capacity crowd roaring their side on, and Korkut making several substitutions in a bid to salvage some points, an equalising goal never seemed like materialising for Die Alte Dame. Any attempt on goal seemed to sail into the arms of Marvin Schwabe without much fuss, as the Billy Goats sought to hang on.
In fact, Koln went one better in added time. A hacked clearance allowed German talent Jan Thielmann to pressurise Darida into a mistake. The youngster ran through on goal, rounded the Hertha shot stopper, and finished superbly to secure a 1-3 win for Baumgart’s side.