Emotional scenes in Hertha’s draw against Düsseldorf – Fürth climbs

The Berlin game is all about remembering their late president. Elsewhere, the Franconians from Fürth scored an important victory.

In the end, the result was irrelevant: In the first game after the unexpected death of club president Kay Bernstein, Hertha BSC did not get beyond a 2-2 (2-1) draw at home against Fortuna Düsseldorf on Sunday afternoon. Haris Tabaković (30th) and Andreas Bouchalakis (45th + 1) scored for the hosts, Ísak Jóhannesson (44th) and Christos Tziolis (49th / penalty) managed to equalize. Bernstein died on Tuesday at the age of just 43, and there were moving scenes in the stadium before the game.

In the other games on Sunday, Greuther Fürth won 1-0 (1-0) at SC Paderborn, 1. FC Magdeburg also beat Wehen Wiesbaden at home with 1-0 (0-0).

Tabaković only knew one way after his goal. Quickly to the substitute bench. There the striker held up the black T-shirt with the print “We Herthaners in deep mourning” and then raised a finger to the sky. It was a silent greeting from the goalscorer. The only possible greeting and the only possible gesture after a moving memorial service by the Berlin second division club before the start of the second half of the season for its President Bernstein, who died unexpectedly.

The fact that in the 2:2 (2:1) after Tabaković (30th minute), Derry Scherhant (45th + 1) scored for Hertha, but also Jóhannesson (44th) and Tzolis (49th / penalty kick) for Düsseldorf, Tzolis (56th) put another penalty next to the goal, that was just the statistical continuation of an emotional, cold football Sunday in the Olympic Stadium, which had been turned into a place of remembrance.

The pure numbers show that Hertha is now unbeaten for ten games in a row, but is not moving up in the promotion race for a direct return to the Bundesliga and is still five points behind its rival Düsseldorf. Fact, yes. But not primarily significant. The grief for Bernstein, who died on Tuesday at the age of 43, overshadowed everything for Berliners.

SpVgg Greuther Fürth found their way back to success at the start of the second half of the season and improved to fourth place. After two draws before the winter break, coach Alexander Zorniger’s team managed a 1-0 (1-0) win against their previous table neighbors SC Paderborn.

Thanks to Armindo Sieb’s goal (33rd minute) on Sunday in front of 10,975 spectators in the Home Deluxe Arena, the relegation place is still within reach, only two points behind Hamburger SV. In contrast, East Westphalia’s successful streak came to an end with three wins. That cost them the chance to overtake Greuther Fürth.

Defended with concentration and got through once: 1. FC Magdeburg scored an important three points. The FCM won against Wehen Wiesbaden 1-0 (0-0). Tatsuya Ito (80th) made the late decision with his goal.

Wiesbaden’s Amar Catic saw a yellow-red card shortly before the end after a repeated foul (85th). With 23 points, the Magdeburgers overtook Wiesbaden in the table and are now six points ahead of the relegation zone.