<h2>Late Riether strike salvages a point in Berlin</h2>
<p class=\"bodytext\">Hertha
coach Lucien Favre made two changes to his team which were thrashed 4-1
in Munich last time out: Simunic got the nod ahead of Kaka, while loan
signing from Liverpool Voronin made his debut at the expense of
Piszczek. Visiting coach Felix Magath welcomed back his number one
keeper to the first team. Diego Benaglio missed the 2-2 home draw with
Frankfurt due to a stomach bug. Lenz reverted to the bench again.
Hasebe was chosen instead of Dzeko, which meant that the Wolves began
the game with Grafite as their solitary out and out striker.
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><strong>Dream start for the Wolves!</strong>
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">The game was only seconds old before home keeper
Drobny was picking the ball out iof his own net for the first time.
Grafite broke clear and faced the Hertha keeper on his own. Drobny
cleared the ball away for a corner. Misimovic curled the corner in from
the right, and Ricardo Costa rose above Cicero and Stein to head the
Wolves ahead from 6 metres out.
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">That early setback shocked Hertha, who struggled to
string any passes together. Not like the Wolves, who smelt blood and
went for the jugular, creating a couple of good early scoring chances.
First Hasebe balsted over from just inside the area (4.), before
Grafite fired a shot narrowly wide on 9 minutes. 
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">Hertha tried to battle their way back into the game
the longer the first half progressed, but misplaced passes nipped any
possible Berlin danger in the bud. It took a free kick for the
Wolfsburg keeper Benaglio to be called into action, as Ebert curled in
a shot which failed to trouble the Swiss number one shot-stopper (19.).
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">Magath\'s side continued to control the game, but
failed to put the game beyond what looked to be a nervous Hertha side.
A one-two between Misimovic and Hasebe saw the Bosnian midfielder on
his own against Drobny, who averted disaster by making a good save
(31.). Three minutes later, the home side threatened for the first
time, as Pantelic tried his luck with a shot on the turn from 13 metres
out, which was easily dealt with by Benaglio. Shortly afterwards,
debutant Voronin let fly from distance, but Hasebe got his body in the
way, ensuring that the visitors led 1-0 at the break.
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><strong>Josué off injured</strong>
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">The Wolves began the second half without their
skipper Josué. The Brazilian international had been carrying a knock
before kick off and was replaced by Santana. That did not hamper the
game of the visitors though, who created the opening chance of the
second half as Grafite missed an absolute sitter while perfectly placed
on 49 minutes.
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><strong>Kacar equalises, Pantelic misses spot kick</strong>
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">The failure of the Wolves to take their chances was
to be punished on 57 minutes, as Kacar easily headed an Ebert free kick
into the bottom right hand corner of the Wolfsburg net from around the
penalty spot. Game on! That goal boosted Hertha who threatened again as
Pantelic was denied first by a good save by Benaglio (63.), and then
his own nerves. Ricardo Costa gave away a penalty by handling the ball
inside the area. Pantelic blasted the spot kick miles wide of the left
hand upright (64.).
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">It was end to end stuff towards the end of the
game. First of all Kacar fired wide (74.), before the former Hertha
midfielder Ashkan Dejagah badly timed a ball to Grafite who looked
likely to score had the pass reached him. Five minutes from time,
Voronin found Pantelic down the right. The Serb striker produced a
wonderfully-weighted cross into the middle where Cicero was waiting to
nod the ball past Benaglio from point blank range. 2-1 to Hertha! 
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><strong>Riether in the nick of time!</strong>
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\">The game still wasn\'t over! The Wolves to their
credit never gave up despite that late setback and they pounced as von
Bergen lost the ball to Misimovic, who in turn found Dzeko. The Bosnian
passed the ball to Riether who netted with a fine shot into the bottom
right hand corner, to give the visitors a deserved point on the balance
of play (90.).
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><strong>Match details</strong>:
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><strong><em>Hertha</em>:</strong> Drobny - A.Friedrich, von Bergen, Simunic, M.Stein, Kacar; Cicero, Ebert, Raffael, Pantelic, Voronin
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><em><strong>VfL Wolfsburg</strong></em>: Benaglio - Riether, Ricardo Costa, Barzagli, M.Schäfer, Josue, Hasebe, Gentner, Dejagah, Misimovic, Grafite
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><em>Goals</em>: 0-1 Ricardo Costa (1.) 1-1 Kacar (57.) 2-1 Cicero (85.) 2-2 Riether (90.)
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><em>Booked</em>: Ebert Cicero
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><em>Attendance</em>: 35,000
</p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"> </p>
<p class=\"bodytext\"><em>Referee</em>: Stark   <br/></p><p class=\"bodytext\"><br/></p> |
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