After a draw against VfL Bochum, Hertha BSC is the first to be relegated from the Bundesliga. For the Berliners it was only enough for a 1:1 at home.
Lucas Tousart put the Berliners ahead in the 63rd minute, Keven Schlotterbeck equalized in the fourth minute of added time. After the draw, Hertha remains bottom of the table with 26 points. The gap to the relegation place is five points.
Only with a win would the team have had a chance of staying up on the last day of the game. Bochum are now 15th in the table with 32 points. and for their part are still in the relegation battle.
The Hertha team played well and unfortunately lost the victory they thought was certain. “We didn’t get relegated today. We don’t have to be ashamed of our performance today”said coach Pal Dardai: “We had five or six counterattack chances, we had to score more goals. In the end, goals like that happen. We played well.”
“You can’t blame the team, the relegation didn’t happen today”added Kevin-Prince Boateng and said with tears in his eyes: “It’s just bitter, I love the club.”
Kevin-Prince Boateng at Hertha in the starting XI
Dardai, whose third rescue mission failed, brought Boateng, who was born in Berlin, for the relegation final. For him it was the last game in the Olympic Stadium, after the season the 36-year-old will end his career.
Bochum had the first good chance in an intense first half in front of 70,692 spectators. In the 5th minute Dominique Heintz hit a ball in the top. Ivan Ordets put the ball across to Philipp Hofmann, who headed the ball just wide of the right post. Hertha tried set pieces, but Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann was there with two free kicks.
Lukebakio’s hit doesn’t count
The first big excitement came after almost 20 minutes. Then Dodi Lukebakio scored to make it 1-0. The goal was preceded by a foul by Stevan Jovetic on Ordets and referee Felix Brych conceded the goal after a tip from VAR and a view of the TV images.
A little later, Bochum vehemently demanded a penalty. Dardai had gotten the ball in the penalty area in a duel with Christoper Antwi-Adjei, but the whistle rightly didn’t go off. Shortly thereafter, Mittelstädt cleared Takuma Asano in the penalty area at the last second with a perfectly placed tackle.
Bochum got stronger and shortly afterwards had a huge chance. But Hertha goalkeeper Oliver Christensen parried a powerful header from Asano. A little later, Philipp Förster put the ball just wide of the post after another good individual action from Asano from 16 meters. Hertha reacted. In the 39th minute, Lukebakio appeared free in front of the Bochum goal after a great pass from Suat Serdar, but failed at Riemann from a tight angle.
Hertha more offensive in the second half
At the beginning of the second half, the question arose: When will Hertha go all out? The first chances were not long in coming. Shortly after the restart, Marco Richter tested goalkeeper Riemann with a shot from the right at the near post. A little later, Jovetic headed the ball just over the goal after a Richter cross. And the man from Montenegro also had the third good chance when he flicked the ball over the goal after a nice combination.
Bochum reappeared in front of the Berliner Tor after about an hour. There, Asano caused a stir, but his shot from the turn was blocked. Conversely, Lukebakio had the chance but his shot was blocked by Anthony Losilla. And to the corner. And that led to leadership. Lucas Tousart rose the highest and headed the ball into the goal.
Berlin’s Christensen with strong parades
Bochum answered. In the 68th minute, Christensen saved his team from equalizing when he reflexively parried an Asano header from close range. Shortly thereafter, Hofmann extended a cross from the left to the back post, where Gerrit Holtmann, who had just come on, was completely free and fired directly at goal. His bounce, however, just missed the box.
Then Hertha again, it went back and forth. In the 78th minute, Lukebakio went through freely on the right. Riemann had to come far from his box and then went into a sprint duel with the fast striker. Lukebakio got past the keeper at the end but was stopped by Erhan Masovic with a tackle at the last moment.
Turbulent final phase
In the final phase, the events overturned. Bochum’s Keven Schlotterbeck and Berlin’s Chidera Ejuke only hit the post. A little later Schlotterbeck did better and sent Hertha into the valley of tears.
At a corner in stoppage time, he was there with his head. Hertha BSC is relegated from the Bundesliga for the seventh time in its turbulent club history.
Hertha BSC in Wolfsburg, Bochum against Leverkusen
On Matchday 34, Hertha is a guest at VfL Wolfsburg (Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Bochum hosts Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the same time.