Berlin derby: Hertha hammer Union 4-0

May 22, 2020

Hertha moved up to 10th place after the opening match of the second round of games since the Bundesliga restarted last week under strict coronavirus measures.

GERMAN FOOTBALL

Hosts Hertha claimed the Berlin derby bragging rights over Union on Friday with a convincing 4-0 victory in their almost empty 74,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.

Hertha moved up to 10th place after the opening match of the second round of games since the Bundesliga restarted last week under strict coronavirus measures thanks to second-half goals from Vedad Ibisevic, Dodi Lukebakio, Matheus Cunha and Dedryck Boyata.

"It would have been fantastic if we could have played a game like that in front of 75,000 spectators. But I hope that the fans at least had fun in front of their TVs," said Hertha coach Bruno Labbadia.

"In the first half we played very well against well-organised opponents. I had to make that clear to my team at half-time because they were feeling a bit negative.

"By the end we were happy because these were important points in the relegation battle."

 erthas forward rzysztof iatek skips a tackle by nions defender lorian uebner Hertha's forward Krzysztof Piatek skips a tackle by Union's defender Florian Huebner

 

Labbadia started Czech Republic midfielder Vladimir Darida in the only change from last Saturday's win at Hoffenheim in his first home match in charge.

Union's Urs Fischer, who guided the east Berlin outfit to the top-flight for the first time this season, brought in four fresh faces to his starting lineup after Sunday's loss to champions Bayern Munich.

A minute silence was held before kick-off at the eerily quiet ground in the German capital in remembrance of all victims of COVID-19.

The best chance of the opening 20 minutes, which were dominated by Labbadia's men, fell to winger Lukebakio but the DR Congo international's effort was saved by Rafal Gikiewicz.

Labbadia's side continued their dominance into the second half.

Lukebakio was stopped two minutes into second half again by Gikiewicz before captain Ibisevic headed home a powerful opener.

 he Hertha Berlin's Bosnian forward Vedad Ibisevic opened the scoring with a fierce header

 

Just 70 seconds later Hertha doubled their lead as Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Ibisevic fed Lukebakio who got the better of Gikiewicz with a side-footed effort.

Both goals were greeted by the Hertha club anthem echoing around the ground built for the 1936 Olympics as it was played on the public address system.

Labbadia celebrated by elbow bumping with his coaching staff as did his players on the field.

Boyata behaves

Hertha added a third on the hour mark as Brazilian playmaker Matheus Cunha scored his fourth goal of the season.

erHertha's defender Dedryck Boyata (2nd-R) and his teammates celebrate their fourth goal

 

 he score board is seen during riday nights match The score board is seen during Friday night's match

 

Lukebakio missed with an ambitious overhead kick inside the box and Cunha, who joined from RB Leipzig in January, side-footed home from outside the area after 62 minutes.

Centre-back Boyata, who apologised for breaching virus-related league protocol after grabbing the face of team-mate Marko Grujic during last weekend's win, claimed a fourth with 13 minutes to play.

The Belgium defender celebrated by kissing his elbows and chest-bumping team-mates including Jordan Torunarigha as they clinched revenge after November's derby defeat, the first time the sides had met in the German top-flight.

"We laid it on a plate for Hertha. But we've lost one game, nothing more, nothing less," said Union coach Fischer.

t was muted celebrations for ertha at the end of the gameIt was [muted] celebrations for Hertha at the end of the game

 

On Saturday, second-placed Borussia Dortmund can close the gap to a point on leaders Bayern Munich with a win over Wolfsburg.

Bayern host Eintracht Frankfurt in 13th spot later in the day.

Elsewhere, Borussia Moenchengladbach will place 13,000 cut-out images of fans in their stadium for the visit of Bayer Leverkusen.

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MORE PICTURES FROM FRIDAY'S GAME

 efore kickoff players observed a minute of silence to commemorate the victims of the coronavirus pandemic Before kickoff, players observed a minute of silence to commemorate the victims of the coronavirus pandemic

 

 hese are the offical matchballs used These are the offical matchballs used

 

 e Hertha's head coach Bruno Labbadia (L), and other officials wearing face masks, looked on moments before kickoff 

 

 er As like all the other games played so far, Friday's duel was playing behind closed doors

 

 ert In the stands, the substitutes observed social distancing rules

 

 DR Congo international Lukebakio scored the second goal

 

 

 ert During the game, Union Berlin's forward Marcus Ingvartsen needed medical treatment

 

 ert On the sidelines, this ball boy disinfected balls on the sidelines as action unfolded on the pitch

 

 ert They may not have been in the stadium, but these Hertha fans did well to recreate a similar mood as they watched they team on TV easily beat Union

 


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