From BZ/dpa
The goal drought at Hertha is over, but new and at the same time old problems will determine the program for coach Pal Dardai of second division soccer team Hertha BSC in the next two weeks of the international break.
“We got into the game well and pressed high. Everything went according to our plan,” said the 47-year-old after the historic 4:6 (3:2) defeat at 1. FC Magdeburg on Saturday. Instead of getting a certain security on the pitch with a total of four of their own tours, the Herthaners gave up a possible point win up to the end and slipped down to the relegation place in the league. A second division team had never suffered a defeat after four tours.
Marton Dardai from Hertha BSC after conceding to make it 3:3 Photo: City Press
“After the tours there was no control, no one took responsibility. It was the same against Fürth after the 3-0 lead,” said Dardai, addressing a problem that Hertha has been struggling with for several seasons. Responsibility, leading player, axis – the words change from season to season, the lack of orderly forces remains, which had already accompanied him in his second term.
After all, after four goals of his own by Fabian Reese (2nd minute), Marten Winkler (22nd) and Haris Tabakovic (42nd/55th), the coach can declare the lack of goals that was crippling at the beginning of the season to be over. “Nine goals in two games is an exclamation mark,” said Reese, “now it’s about us playing to zero and bringing about a maturing process.”
Dardai was also shown by goals conceded by Silas Gnaka (7th), Luca Schuler (37th), Jason Ceka (49th), Leon Bell Bell (58th) as well as Mohammed El-Hankouri (68th) and Ahmet Arslan in the Overtime, some of which seemed like gifts, surprised. “How we scored the goals was new to me.”
In view of the closing of the transfer window, Dardai is therefore looking forward to the upcoming international break: “We now have a new squad and will first analyze it. At the end of autumn we will have a really strong team,” said the Hungarian, who had already announced tough training days before the Magdeburg game, “and we still have many games before Christmas.”