Ibisevic ends scoring drought as Hertha beat Köln
Berlin - Hertha Berlin striker Vedad Ibisevic scored for the first time in 20 months as the capital club extended their unbeaten run on home soil this season with a 2-0 victory over 1. FC Köln.
Hertha Berlin 2-0 1. FC Köln
Goals: 1-0 Ibisevic (43’), 2-0 Ibisevic (90+4')
Unbeaten at home going into the game, Hertha began brightly despite having lost to VfL Wolfsburg just three days earlier. The visitors gradually got into the match as the first half wore on, and even head the better chances to score, with Leonardo Bittencourt grazing a post and Anthony Modeste firing a free header over the bar.
They were made to pay for their wastefulness just before the break, when Vedad Ibisevic scored his first goal for Hertha with an excellent glancing header. The home side remained on top after the break, and Köln struggled to carve out the same calibre of chances they had in the first period. Ibisevic eventually sealed the points deep in stoppage time, slotting home from Alexander Baumjohann's pass.
Man of the match
After scoring the decisive goals at crucial times, there could only be one contender for this accolade: Ibisevic. The Bosnia and Herzegovina striker has endured a difficult period with injury and a dip in form over the past two years, but picked the perfect time to net his first goals for Hertha.
Talking point
Ten points on the board from six games is a respectable return for Hertha, who are turning their Olympiastadion into something of a fortress. Coach Pal Dardai's men are unbeaten on home turf this season, winning two and drawing one, while only conceding twice. If only their away form (two defeats from three outings) were as good.
Match stats
- Ibisevic ended a 1419-minute goal drought that had stretched over 25 matches, and 20 months.Hertha collectively covered 122.8 kilometres over the course of the match; Köln ran 199.84 km.Köln defender Jonas Hector won more tackles (17) than anyone else on the pitch.
Line-ups:
Hertha: Jarstein – Weiser, Stark, Lustenberger, Plattenhardt – Haraguchi, Darida, Skjelbred, Stocker (van den Bergh 67’) – Kalou (Baumjohann 71’), Ibisevic
Köln: Horn – Olkowski (Zoller 60’), Sörensen, Heintz, Hector – Risse, Lehmann, Vogt (Gerhadt 64’), Bittencourt (Hosiner 67’) – Osako, Modeste