Hertha BSC’s Triumphant Week: Three Wins, a Well-Earned Break, and a Path to Promotion

Hertha BSC is riding high on a wave of success, having secured three consecutive victories in a stellar week. Their latest triumph came with a 2-1 win against Kaiserslautern, following impressive wins against Elversberg (5-1) and a dramatic cup clash against HSV (8-6 after penalties).

In recognition of the team’s outstanding performance, Coach Pal Dardai, aged 47, has granted a special reward – a well-deserved two-day break for the players. This decision also means the scheduled player replacement training on Sunday has been canceled.

Expressing his delight, Dardai stated, “We are very happy and very tired. The boys did well. It was a perfect week for the fans and the team, which is why I took the day off. Now let’s celebrate a little.”

The journey to success in Kaiserslautern didn’t begin smoothly, with problems arising during the scheduled flight. Despite the challenges, Dardai acknowledged the team’s resilience, stating, “We were late, had a long journey, but no one complained. You can play badly after a week like that.”

Hertha BSC faced a lackluster first half on the Betzenberg, trailing behind deservedly at the break. Dardai was candid about the team’s performance, saying, “The first half was nothing. I made nasty comments about the offense because we didn’t even get a corner.”

However, a strategic move by Coach Dardai at halftime, introducing three impactful substitutes – Haris Tabakovic (29), Fabian Reese (26), and Gustav Christensen (19) – sparked a remarkable turnaround. Dardai revealed, “We planned for that. Because it was only 0-1, I was still calm.”

Florian Niederlechner (33) delivered a stunning overhead kick after a long throw-in from Reese, equalizing the score. Niederlechner shared his perspective, stating, “The ball came, and I realized: This is the situation now, I have to do it. The Niederlechner has never had an overhead kick.”

Taking advantage of a red card against FCK, Hertha secured the comeback with Marc Kempf’s (28) first goal of the season. Reese added, “That was a maturation process that we showed. We took the game on our side, didn’t allow much, and deserved to leave the field as winners.”

Maintaining an impressive unbeaten streak of eight games, Hertha continues to hold a position in the promotion ranks. With aspirations to solidify their standing at the top, they look forward to a Christmas victory against Osnabrück.