- © © imago / Schüler
- © © imago / Schüler

Darida claims Hertha a point in Frankfurt

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Frankfurt - Vladimir Darida scored eight minutes from time to earn Hertha Berlin a point at Eintracht Frankfurt with a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Hertha Berlin

Goals: 1-0 Meier (22’), 1-1 Darida (82')

The Commerzbank Arena has been an unwelcoming place for visiting teams in recent months, and Hertha found the late summer sun the only pleasant aspect of their afternoon in the early stages. Stefan Aigner might have twice given the hosts the advantage as Frankfurt started well before Alex Meier struck, lunging to steer home after a corner had been flicked on.

Curiously, the goal came after Hertha's best spell of pressure. Darida had headed straight at Lukas Hradecky while Vedad Ibisevic tested the Frankfurt goalkeeper's reflexes from point-blank range. From the resulting corner, Hradecky watched on powerless as Ibisevic headed against the bar. Marc Stendera also tested the woodwork with a stinging drive while Vaclav Kadlec nodded over a Bastian Oczipka cross when it seemed easier to score.

With Frankfurt content to sit on the lead after the break, they contained Hertha, who had struggled to score away from home. Niklas Stark fired straight at Hradecky, but it was not until the ball ricocheted fortuitously into the path of Darida late on, who finished coolly, that Pal Dardai's men were rewarded for their perseverance.

Man of the Match

Artful and industrious throughout, Darida's deserved his late equaliser even if it was born of a huge slice of luck.

Talking point

Hertha have now not scored more than once in their last 11 away matches, and are winless in three. Dardai’s men need to find their form on their travels if they are not to waste their efforts on home soil.

Match stats

    Frankfurt have now gone 14 Bundesliga home games unbeaten (eight wins)Meier has scored in his last four games against HerthaDarida's goal was his first for Hertha since his summer move from SC Freiburg

Line-ups

Frankfurt: Hradecky - Ignjovski, Abraham, Russ, Oczipka - Reinartz - Hasebe, Stendera - Meier -Aigner (Castaignos 70’), Kadlec (Waldschmidt 56’ (Medojevic 87'))

Hertha: Jarstein - Weiser, Stark, Lustenberger, Plattenhardt - Skjelbred, Cigerci (Stocker 67’) - Haraguchi (Van den Bergh 87'), Darida - Kalou (Baumjohann 78')- Ibisevic