Highlights
M. Petersen
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Full-time
90'
+ 7
Full-time: Hertha 0-1 Kaiserslautern
After a dominant first half and many chances, Hertha switched off in the first few minutes after the restart. After the very noticeable Reese had another good opportunity, Sirch scored shortly after, netting the opener for the visitors and hitting Hertha right in the gut. Overall, the Berliners lacked the precision in their finishing, while Kaiserslautern managed their lead well, keeping Hertha away from their goal.
90'
+ 4
No way through
The visitors are holding their ground, barely allowing the Berlin side to enter the final third.
90'
+ 2
Six minutes to go!
Stoppage time is underway... Hertha's chances are running out.
90'
Double substitution
As the match draws to a close, Kaiserslautern bring on two fresh players.
90'
Substitution
90'
Substitution
90'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
89'
Hertha's tenth defeat?
That would be twice as many as Kaiserslautern.
88'
Substitution
86'
Misjudged
Reese comes running in at the far post after a free-kick from in off the right, wanting to play the ball inside onthe volley, but the quick winger doesn't make good contact with it.
84'
Substitution
83'
Visitors doing well
Lautern are pressing high and disrupting Hertha at source.
80'
Not convincing
Kenny is played in by Niederlechner on the right side of the penalty area and attempts a high shot, but Krahl is there.
79'
Is today not the day?
In the last 23 competitive matches against Lautern, Hertha have always scored at least once, last remaining goalless against Kaiserslautern in a 1-0 home defeat in the Bundesliga in 1999.
78'
Lack of concentration
Zeefuik speeds up the play and plays in Karbownik on the left, who tries to dribble but quickly loses possession of the ball.
75'
Duels won
Duels won
15
12
Deyovaisio Zeefuik Maximilian Bauer
74'
Multiple substitutions
Fresh legs are coming on for both sides - Niederlechner is brought on to provide more firepower in Hertha's attack.
74'
Substitution
74'
Substitution
74'
Substitution
73'
Yellow card
Bauer commits a tactical foul, holding Michaël Cuisance by the shirt.
© IMAGO/Daniel Lakomski/Jan Huebner
70'
Bouncing effort
Yokota tests Gersbeck once again with a shot from outside the box, but the keeper manages to parry it away.
69'
Good effort
Reese breaks through and delivers a sharp cross from the left, but the ball is intercepted.
66'
Near post
Scherhant shakes off Gyamerah on the left and shoots towards the near post, but Krahl manages to catch it securely.
65'
First substitution
The latest Kaiserslautern acquisition, Tim Breithaupt, was in the squad for the first time today and is now making his debut for the Red Devils.
65'
Substitution
63'
Clean sheet eludes them again
Hertha have kept only one clean sheet at home this season, back in August against bottom-of-the-table Regensburg.
62'
VAR check in progress
After the corner, there was a chaotic situation, and a potential handball is being reviewed. The game continues, however.
62'
SituationNo penalty
ReviewHandball?
DecisionNo penalty
61'
Maza can't break through
Cuisance shifts play brilliantly to Reese. The ball is then played into the middle, where Maza tries to wriggle through and shoots on the turn off the left, but the ball is blocked behind for a corner.
61'
From distance
Sirch tries it this time from further out but Gersbeck catches it without any problems.
59'
Taking the lead again
Kaiserslautern have not lost this season after scoring first (seven wins, one draw). Will they manage it again today?
57'
Lautern take the lead!
It's the visitors who break the deadlock. Lautern counter-attack and Ritter has plenty of time and space on the left, playing it across goal. Sirch takes aim from the just right of the centre, smashing a low shot powerfully into the far corner.
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
55'
Reese!
Another good effort from the most active player so far. He cuts in off the left again and fires a powerful shot. Krahl can only parry it and with some difficulty.
53'
Switched on
Hertha now want to show themselves again. Kenny is sought on the right, but Wekesser is alert to the danger.
49'
Lautern starting well
The visitors are dominating the opening phase of the second half. Yokota receives the first yellow card of the match for kicking the ball away before Zeefuik can take a throw-in.
46'
Back underway!
Hertha kick off the second half, with Karbownik coming in to replace Sessa. Lautern remain unchanged.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 2
Half-time: Hertha 0-0 Kaiserslautern
The teams head into the break with no breakthrough for either side. Hertha had more possession and more shots on goal, with Fiél's side clearly throwing themselves at the visitors, particularly captain Reese who has repeatedly caused problems. After a good start, Kaiserslautern offered little, although Ache did have two promising attempts.
45'
+ 1
Substitution
Half-time
45'
Ache!
Another shot for the visitors! Ache fires a powerful strike from the centre, Gersbeck just about manages to save it but parries it forward.
43'
If it's anyone, it's Reese
Shots
3
1
Fabian Reese Jan Gyamerah
42'
Lacking in the finishing department
Maza gets into the penalty area from the in off the left flank and attempts a shot with the outside of his boot, but the ball lands wide of the left post.
41'
Good effort
This time Reese cuts inside and tries to find the far corner. Krahl has to stretch to make the save.
38'
Can they do it before half-time?
Will the Berliners remain without a goal in the first half for the eighth time in ten home matches this season?
38'
No way through
Cuisance does well to break through in the centre before attempting to thread a pass into the box. However, his passing attempt gets intercepted by the wall of red shirts ahead of him.
36'
Relentless Reese
The Berlin captain is the driving force on the left. This time he tries to dribble to the byline but Lautern clear for a corner.
33'
Another chance
Robinson loses the ball in his own half, and once again Hertha finds themselves with a numerical advantage going forward. Reese has space on the left again, but fails to find the far corner.
31'
Hertha battling hard
The hosts have won nearly 60% of the duels so far. It feels like they've already won more challenges than they did over the course of the entire match against Regensburg last time out...
30'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
29'
Space opens up...
...but little comes of it once again. The Berlin side win the ball high up the pitch again, but Cuisance subsquently gets dispossessed.
28'
A shot on goal
Hertha find themselves with a numerical advantage in attack. Reese shoots somewhat hastily from the left inside the penalty area. Krahl gathers the ball comfortably.
27'
Few clear-cut chances
The ball is mostly being played around the back or in midfield.
25'
Young Berliners
Berlin are sticking to their guns today as well: Hertha's starting XI has an average age of 24.3 years, with five players aged 22 or younger from their own academy on the pitch.
22'
Slight advantage
Possession (%)
5644
21'
Little to do for the keepers
Gersbeck (four touches) and Krahl (five) are the players with the fewest touches in their respective teams.
19'
Sliced
Reese attempts another cross, but completely miscues it - the ball sails high and wide out of play.
17'
Scuffed
Ache is found on the right flank. He makes ground and then tries a low shot aimed towards the far corner. He fails to make clean contact with the ball and the chance goes begging.
15'
Rapid Reese
Reese dashes past Gyamerah on the left flank before delivering a high cross to the far post, but once again Hertha can't fashion a shot on goal.
12'
Hertha now more active
The home side are keeping possession and repeatedly trying to attack down the flanks.
9'
No takers
Sessa plays Kenny through down the right, who crosses into the centre, but no one is there to get on the end of it.
7'
On the front foot
The visitors from Kaiserslautern are establishing themselves in Hertha's half and looking to cause problems for the hosts.
4'
End-to-end
Both teams are immediately up to speed. Reese can't reach a long ball down the left before Yokota is stopped on the right.
1'
Kick-off!
The ball is rolling in Berlin! Saturday evening, floodlights, and a spine-tingling atmosphere - who will secure the three points in this huge clash?
Kick-off!
Junge on the touchline
Florian Junge takes the Lautern reigns today in place of the suspended Markus Anfang. Junge has been Anfang's assistant for years, and in April 2023 he similarly stepped in for his suspended boss in the third division, winning 2-1 with Dynamo Dresden against Waldhof Mannheim.
New addition
The latest Lautern acquisition, Tim Breithaupt, is in the squad for the Red Devils for the first time today.
Milestone for Gersbeck
Hertha's new No. 1 is playing his 100th match in the Bundesliga 2 today.
More on that Lautern team
There are two changes for the visitors: Jan Gyamerah returns after a yellow-red card suspension, and top scorer Ragnar Ache retakes his place in the starting line-up for the first time since late November. Jean Zimmer and Daniel Hanslik make way for them. It's a big call to drop Hanslik, with the forward having made 10 goal contributions in his last ten matches.
Sessa starts
Third change for the Berliners after the disappointing 2-0 defeat in Regensburg: Kevin Sessa moves into the starting XI, whilst Smail Prevljak is not in the squad today. It will be interesting to see exactly how this will play out tactically.
Leistner on the bench
Toni Leistner led Hertha onto the pitch as captain in recent months, but today he has not only lost the armband, but also his starting position. Having recently returned from injury, Márton Dárdai plays in his place.
Reese starts
Captain Fabian Reese is able to start for the first time this season. Due to injury, Reese had only made four brief substitute appearances so far. Marten Winkler makes way for him.
Kaiserslautern starting XI
Krahl - Elvedi, Sirch, Bauer - Gyamerah, Robinson, Kaloc, Wekesser - Yokota, Ritter - Ache
Hertha starting XI
Gersbeck - Kenny, Gechter, Dárdai, Zeefuik - Klemens, Sessa - Cuisance, Maza, Reese - Scherhant
Cristian Fiél on facing Lautern
"That's the beauty of football, that you immediately get the opportunity to show a different side of yourself. This other side must not be even remotely comparable to the one from last week."
Markus Anfang on facing Hertha
© IMAGO/wolfstone-photo
Good memories
Michaël Cuisance has scored in both of his Bundesliga 2 matches against Kaiserslautern. He netted the late winner for the Berliners in the reverse fixture and also scored for Osnabrück in a 2-2 draw in October 2023.
In the relegation season
Kaiserslautern's last league victory against the Old Lady was in April 2012 in the Bundesliga, when Lautern won 2-1 under Krassimir Balakov against the Berliners coached by Otto Rehhagel.
Cup giant-killers Lautern
Hertha have won all of their last four league matches against Kaiserslautern (including a 4-3 victory in the reverse fixture), but the Red Devils have claimed two DFB Cup scalps during this period. They won 3-1 in the quarter-finals in Berlin in January 2024, destroying Hertha's dream of a home final, which Lautern would ultimately reach.
Stats favour Hertha
Hertha have never lost to Kaiserslautern in Bundesliga 2 (five wins, two draws). Lautern have faced no other team in Bundesliga 2 as often without securing a single victory.
1:59
Previous meeting: Kaiserslautern 3-4 Hertha Berlin
Hello and welcome!
Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 21 fixture between Hertha BSC and 1. FC Kaiserslautern.