Football, 2nd Bundesliga: Hertha BSC clearly beats SV Elversberg

Hertha BSC fended off the vehement attack from newly promoted Elversberg on the 15th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga in the frozen Olympic Stadium. The Bundesliga relegated team clearly defeated the courageous newcomer 5:1 (2:1).

Anyone who thought that the newcomer from Elversberg would initially approach the Bundesliga relegated Berlin team from a stronger defense was mistaken. Hertha was exposed to wild Elversberg attacks from the start.

Elversberg storms, Hertha scores

And after just seven minutes, the ball was in the Berlin net for the first time. Paul Wanner coolly finished off a deliberate attack by the guests from seven meters with a shot into the bottom left corner. But Elversberg’s celebration came too early – the goal was conceded by VAR – Wanner had previously received the ball on his left upper arm during Berlin’s attempt to break free.

But Elversberg stuck with it – Hertha only survived two big chances in the next 120 seconds with extraordinary luck. And then actually celebrated himself: After a long throw-in, defender Linus Gechter took advantage of the confusion in the SV penalty area and pushed the ball over the line to make it 1-0 (12th).

Exchange of blows in the ice-cold Olympic Stadium

The game was turned on its head, but the guests countered: just three minutes later, Thore Jacobsen shot a tricky shot at goal from 17 meters – the ball deflected into the left corner – 1-1.

In ice-cold temperatures in the Olympic Stadium, both teams continued to put on a spectacular match. In the 21st minute, Hertha went ahead again: Once again there was a smell of chaos in the Elversberg five-yard box after a cross – Florian Niederlechner looked at it and deliberately pushed the ball that suddenly appeared in front of him down the right to make it 2-1 (21st).

Hertha brilliantly in the second section

The half-time lead seemed to inspire Berlin as much as it unsettled Elversberg. In any case, the second section became a clear matter. Pal Dardai’s protégés, who were now considerably more confident, took aim at their opponents and then literally shot them down.

Niederlechner twice more (61st, 67th) and Jonjoe Kenny, who came from Everton FC in 2022, with a brilliant shot under the crossbar (71st) increased the score to 5-1 within a few minutes. Hertha had the three points they were aiming for – the promoted team’s courage was not rewarded.

Hertha against Kaiserslautern, Elversberg against Nuremberg

The Berliners have a great DFB Cup game ahead of them on Wednesday: from 8:45 p.m. it’s against HSV. On the next matchday, the Berliners will be challenged against 1. FC Kaiserslautern (Saturday, December 9th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.). SV Elversberg meets the club one day later in front of their home crowd (1.30 p.m.).