Perfect reaction - 2-1 win away at Hertha BSC
Marcell Jansen (24.) and Mladen Petric (45.) scored for the visitors before the break. Pierre Michel Lasogga (81.) grabbed a late consolation goal for Hertha. Jansen on the mark
Both teams looked for the shortest possible route to the opposing goal from the opening whistle, but it was the visitors who had the opening chances. Petric nodded narrowly wide following a corner (5.). At the other end, Dutchman Jeffrey Bruma cleared a dangerous free kick by Ebert in the nick of time. Roman Hubnik found himself on his own with former Hertha keeper Jaroslav Drobny from the resulting corner. The Czech-born stopper had the last laugh though, as his compatriot was ruled to be offside (10.). Hertha counted their lucky stars seven minutes later, as Petric failed to connect properly with a pinpoint ball from Marcell Jansen. After a strong challenge by Drobny, Christoph Janker was forced off and was replaced by skipper Mijatovic (22.). The Berlin defence looked less solid from that moment on and on 24 minutes Dennis Diekmeier breezed past Levan Kobiashvili, before cutting in from the right wing from where he fed Jansen, who nailed the ball under the Hertha crossbar to fire Hamburg ahead.
Hamburg double their lead Hertha almost struck back right away, but a ball into the area by Lell was deflected into the side netting (26.). Petric then nicely set up team mate Sala, but the latter pulled his rushed effort well wide of target (34.). Drobny then needed two chances to deal with an effort from former HSV player Tunay Torun (37.). As match referee put the whistle to his mouth to blow time on the opening half, Hertha held a collective snooze and Petric nodded home another fine cross from the right by Diekmeier (45.), to sent the visitors into the break with a two-goal lead.
Drobny called into action
Lasogga strike too little too late Hertha tried to put HSV under pressure but their passing let them down, or they were unlucky, like the time when Ramos almost scored from an acute angle, only to see his effort deflected out of danger (72.). At the other end it took a timely Hubnik challenge to deny Guerrero what looked like a certain goal (73.). The home side managed to pull a goal back nine minutes from full time, as Lasogga nodded home a cross by Kobiashvili at the near post. Just three minutes later Lasogga threatened again. This time he found himself one on one with Drobny after a swift counter attack involving Ronny and Ramos. Lasogga drew the short straw again, as Drobny kept his cool to deny his former team mate (84.). Hertha threw everything forward, but HSV cleverly played out the remaining minutes to deliver Hertha a nasty blow on their conquest of collecting 40 points to avoid the drop. Matchday 20 sees the capital city side at home again. This time the visitors to the Olympic stadium will be Niedersachsen side Hannover 96 on Saturday (04.02.12, 15.30 CET). Skibbe will be missing two key players for that game: Christian Lell and Andre Mijatovic both picked up fifth bookings against HSV, which means that they are suspended for the visit of Hannover. Match details:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Lell, Hubnik, Janker (22. Mijatovic), Kobiashvili - Lustenberger, Ottl (75. Ronny) - Ramos, Torun (46. Niemeyer), Ebert - Lasogga Hamburger SV: Drobny - Diekmeier, Westermann, Bruma, Aogo - Sala (90. Son), Rincon, Jarolim, Jansen (90. Rajkovic) - Guerrero, Petric (85. Kacar)
Booked: Mijatovic, Niemeyer, Lell - Rincon Referee: Guido Winkmann Att: 49.168     
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