Hamburg, the six-time German champion, won its first qualifying match in Berlin 1-0 and has not lost its last five matches. They scored in every home game all season until Monday night, but when it mattered most it didn’t hold up.
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Four minutes were played when Hertha Berlin made it 1-0. The goal came by Dedric Boyata with a powerful header after a corner kick from Marvin Platnhardt.
Boyata also had a good chance to make it 2-0 after 26 minutes of play, but the end went too far.
The goal came 2-0 after 17 minutes of the second half, and the goal came again from a set piece. Marvin Platthardt’s free kick and delicate left foot passed over everything and everyone, including Hamburg’s superior goalkeeper Daniel Fernandez, and went straight into the goal from nearly 25 metres.
For Hamburg club legend Felix Magath, it was a special evening. Magath took over Hertha Berlin in mid-March to save the club from relegation. Instead, he ended up with crucial qualifying matches against his former employer, and there Magath proved himself a winner. Hertha BSC was the best team in the second leg and deservedly won.
Hamburg should settle for another season in the Bundesliga.
Friedrich Bjorkan started playing on the bench with Hertha Berlin, but came to score top scorer Marvin Platnhardt nine minutes before the end of the match. Former Norway goalkeeper Ron Almining Garsten has not been acquitted of Hertha Berlin’s matches, despite his return to training after injury and coronary heart disease.
(© NTB)
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