The streak of success is broken: Hertha BSC suffered a bitter setback in the 2nd Bundesliga and missed the jump to the promotion ranks.
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team surprisingly lost 0-2 (0-0) against bottom team 1. FC Magdeburg on Sunday. After winning seven competitive games in a row, the Berliners miserably missed the chance to climb to third place in the relegation zone with a clear win.
Magdeburg’s Alexander Nollenberger (74th) and Rayan Ghrieb (90th + 10) caused Hertha to lose five days after the exhilarating 6-1 in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup against 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
With 26 points, the Leitl team is three points behind third-placed SV Darmstadt 98. The FCM remains last after their second league win in a row, but is back in touch with the competition with 13 points.
In the Olympic Stadium, Leitl had to do without the 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn, who had become the youngest goalscorer in cup history against Lautern, due to muscular problems.
Magdeburg cheeky
In his absence, Fabian Reese (2nd) missed the first big chance early on. As a result, the guests were the better team, while the hosts didn’t pose enough danger.
After the break, both teams came out of the locker room with more momentum. Mateusz Zukowski (48th) had Magdeburg’s lead within reach, but slipped narrowly past Falko Michel’s cross.
After Hertha keeper Tjark Ernst thwarted two chances from Michel (52′) and Zukowski, Berlin’s Marten Winkler (63′) was suddenly free – but was denied by Lubambo Musonda at the last moment.
After a corner, Nollenberger let the outsider celebrate. Linus Gechter (90.+1) missed a huge chance to equalize with his header.