After the clear 2: 5 defeat in the relegation hit at Schalke 04, Hertha’s sports director Benjamin Weber speaks Tacheles – and avoids a clear commitment to coach Sandro Schwarz.
The Schalke players hugged each other and celebrated the enormously important victory in the relegation cracker against Hertha BSC. Berlin’s badly beaten footballers trotted with hanging heads in front of the guest block, which had largely emptied long before the final whistle. “It was a real slap in the face today,” said Hertha’s sports director Benjamin Weber after the disastrous 2: 5 (1: 2) in Gelsenkirchen at DAZN.
Weber avoided a commitment to coach Sandro Schwarz. If you lose 2: 5 at the bottom of the table, it is “completely clear” that the questions about the trainer will now come, said Weber. One now wants to analyze, and “of course it is the case that we will now turn every stone.”
Schalke takes the lead with a dream goal
Schwarz himself said: “In total, far too many mistakes.” He wants to let everything sink in first and also question himself. “I’m mainly responsible for it.” He expressed understanding for Weber’s statements, he had to see it realistically.
His eleven remained without a win in the basement duel for the sixth time in a row. In front of 61,981 spectators in the atmospheric Gelsenkirchen Arena, Tim Skarke (3rd minute), Marius Bülter (13th/78th), Simon Terodde (48th) and Marcin Kaminski (90th + 2) scored the goals for Schalke on Friday evening. Stevan Jovetic (45+3) and Marco Richter (84) scored for the guests.
“It was a very, very important game for us, now we’re back in the game,” said substitute Kenan Karaman, “we kept our word today, we showed it on the pitch today.” The quick 1-0 was good for morale, “we were much more present in the duels.” You accepted the situation completely.
Ferryman prevents Jovetic from scoring
Less than 180 seconds were played when Skarke took the ball and dribbled into the penalty area. The 26-year-old almost seemed to have lost his way, but he stuck with it and flicked the ball from around 17 meters to the lower edge of the crossbar. From there, the playground equipment jumped into the goal. For the winter loan from Hertha’s local rivals Union Berlin, it was the first Bundesliga goal of his career. Coach Reis enthusiastically stormed onto the pitch and threw both arms up.
Things got even better for the 49-year-old and his team. Dominick Drexler sent Skarke down the right flank, the goal scorer crossed to the center with pinpoint accuracy and there Bülter completed the goal with a header to make it 2-0.
Hertha hardly dangerous after the break
Because Hertha also played forward despite the extremely unfortunate start, the spectators saw a very entertaining game. Berlin striker Jovetic had the goal on his foot, but Schalke keeper Ralf Fährmann deflected the ball with a class reflex to the post. The Gelsenkirchen fans cheered as if they had scored their own goal.
Black, on the other hand, was visibly dissatisfied with his arms crossed in his coaching zone. He made his first change in the 26th minute. Former Schalke player Suat Serdar replaced Tolga Cigerci in midfield. Reis also swapped early – but involuntarily. Goalkeeper Fährmann was injured, Alexander Schwolow came in for him and had to swallow the first Hertha goal by Jovetic, who scored well into the corner. Schalke didn’t let that shock them, Karaman served Terodde – 3:1.
Schalke even followed up: The strong Bülter scored his second goal of the evening to make it 4:1. Richter shortened after a fine counterattack by Berlin, but unfortunately injured his eye and even bled; Henning Matriciani accidentally caught his finger when the ball was already in the net.
Kaminski provided the final point, crowning a perfect evening from the perspective of the Royal Blues with a great free-kick goal to make it 5:2. (dpa)