I haven’t written a post for this blog for quite some time. This has been partly as a result of illness but also being a bit involved with the Don’t Mention The Fussball (DMTF) Podcast. I have been revived from this blogging slumber by the remarkable match played by Hertha in the second round of the DFB Pokal against SG Dresden on October 30th 2019.
I’m not going to dwell too long on the technicalities of the game but more on the atmosphere as the evening progressed. The background of the game was framed by the comparative closeness of Dresden to the Capital, the strength of their fanbase and the decision by Hertha to allow well over thirty thousand yellow clad Dynamo supporters into the Olympiastadion. The effect was almost like two sets of home fans facing each other across the stadium. There were rumours before the game that some fans of other clubs were going to infiltrate the crowd in order to make trouble, start fights and so on. Luckily, as far as I am aware, those fears proved to be baseless and the event passed peacefully and in a good natured fashion. These factors alone would have been an electrifying experience but the way the game unfolded it turned it into something quite extraordinary.
I’m not going to dwell too long on the technicalities of the game but more on the atmosphere as the evening progressed. The background of the game was framed by the comparative closeness of Dresden to the Capital, the strength of their fanbase and the decision by Hertha to allow well over thirty thousand yellow clad Dynamo supporters into the Olympiastadion. The effect was almost like two sets of home fans facing each other across the stadium. There were rumours before the game that some fans of other clubs were going to infiltrate the crowd in order to make trouble, start fights and so on. Luckily, as far as I am aware, those fears proved to be baseless and the event passed peacefully and in a good natured fashion. These factors alone would have been an electrifying experience but the way the game unfolded it turned it into something quite extraordinary.
You really cannot say that the price of the ticket didn’t provide value for money. None of the normal 90 minutes of football . . . oh no! We “enjoyed” a full 120 minutes of football plus penalties (if you consider that a bonus). In terms of the goals they trickled in at regular intervals creating anguish and the relief not necessarily in that order.
| The visiting fans thought the floodlights weren’t quite up to the job at decided to shed a little extra light on the proceedings. |  |
The run of play started with Dynamo going ahead with a goal from Moussa Kone after 36 minutes and it was accompanied by the customary site of Hertha Fans burying their faces in their hands. Not all was lost however as the goal was followed by an equaliser from Dodi Lukebakio twelve minutes later. With just five minutes to go in the second half things were looking up as
Ondrej Duda slotted one home from the penalty spot! Happy days we thought, what can go wrong with just five minutes to go? With Hertha, five minutes is an eternity in which to mess things up. Sure enough at 90 minutes Patrick Ebert made it 2:2 and all square with Hertha faces disappearing into those hands once more.
Ondrej Duda slotted one home from the penalty spot! Happy days we thought, what can go wrong with just five minutes to go? With Hertha, five minutes is an eternity in which to mess things up. Sure enough at 90 minutes Patrick Ebert made it 2:2 and all square with Hertha faces disappearing into those hands once more.
On a cold October night in Berlin we with frost forming outside the stadium we had another thirty minutes of football to face. We were disappointed to had lost the lead but relieved we were still in the fight. Anxiety returned after 107 minutes when Luka Stor scored for the visitors and built up steadily as the clock ticked away.
It looked pretty grim at 120minutes to be honest and some misguided “fans” decided they would beat the rush to the train by leaving. How stupid was that? Our lad Jordan Torunarigha smashed in an equaliser on the 122nd minutes to make it penalties. I hate penalties but hey, we were still in the fight!
It looked pretty grim at 120minutes to be honest and some misguided “fans” decided they would beat the rush to the train by leaving. How stupid was that? Our lad Jordan Torunarigha smashed in an equaliser on the 122nd minutes to make it penalties. I hate penalties but hey, we were still in the fight!
So, penalties . .
The Hertha Fans went mad, absolutely bonkers. It was a gruelling night of fan experience and it took it’s toll in terms of emotional energy and I suspect physical energy for the teams.both sides to be fair but will never understand those spectators leaving before the end. Sure it was late and it was cold (the cars were covered in from when we left the stadium) but to miss the final chapters of such an epic battle is crazy.
I made it home by about 02:00 and cracked open a beer to celebrate and thought - What a night that was!
- Patrick Ebert scores 0:1
- Vedad Ibisevic scores 1:1
- Sascha Horvath scores 1:2
- Vladimir Darida scores 2:2
- Janine Muller fails. 2:2. Thomas Kraft Saves!
- Javairo Dilrosun scores 3:2
- Moussa Kone scores 3:3
- Karim Rekik fails (Oh my God - this can’t go wrong now!). 3:3
- Luka Stor scores 3:4
- Davie Selke scores 4:4
- Kevin Ehlers fails 4:4 Thomas Kraft Saves again!!!
- Marko Grujic scores!! 5:4
The Hertha Fans went mad, absolutely bonkers. It was a gruelling night of fan experience and it took it’s toll in terms of emotional energy and I suspect physical energy for the teams.both sides to be fair but will never understand those spectators leaving before the end. Sure it was late and it was cold (the cars were covered in from when we left the stadium) but to miss the final chapters of such an epic battle is crazy.
I made it home by about 02:00 and cracked open a beer to celebrate and thought - What a night that was!
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