By Paul Gorgas
Hertha celebrates three points, defeats Paderborn 3-1 and climbs up the table of the 2nd league – only one person can’t be really happy!
Hertha captain Toni Leistner (33) had to watch the final minutes of the game from the side. The defender was sent off with a yellow-red card in the 86th minute, then stood behind the benches on the tartan track of the Olympic Stadium and watched as his colleagues clinched the victory while outnumbered.
Leistner: “We put up a good fight for over 90 minutes. You can’t deny anyone’s mentality.”
Despite the success, Leistner was extremely upset about his sending off. Referee Tom Bauer (27) showed the defender the traffic light card after a foul on Paderborn’s Felix Platte (27) – a tough decision.
Leistner grumbles: “The second one is never a yellow card in my life, that was my second foul. This is very borderline. The young referee was a little influenced by the player’s acting.”
In the first half, however, Leistner was a bit lucky that he didn’t get sent off with a red card because of an emergency brake. After the ball missed him, Leistner was the last man to knock down SC attacker Sirlord Conteh (27). Because Marton Dardai (21) was still nearby and the ball was heading towards the corner flag, Bauer left it with yellow.
Leistner: “The first yellow card was very stupid of me, I was unconcentrated for a moment.” However, the result is the same: Leistner will be missing in Rostock due to suspension, as will defense partner Marc Kempf (28).
The fact that it was enough to score a three-pointer against Paderborn was mainly thanks to double packer Haris Tabakovic (29). The Swiss scores another brace – if he scores, then at least twice. After ten games for Hertha, the striker has nine goals, putting him at the top of the second division goalscorers list.
And also lets Hertha climb the table!