An own-goal was enough for Hertha BSC to reclaim fourth place in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 home win over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Sunday that left the visiting side bottom.
“For a coach, 1-0 is always nice, but it’s not so nice for the spectators,” Hertha coach Pal Dardai said.
As at all the weekend’s Bundesliga games, a minute’s silence was held for victims of the Paris terror attacks, while a French flag was displayed in tribute.
Heavy snowfall forced the game’s first change in the 14th minute when the white ball was switched for a red one.
On a snow-covered pitch, Hertha scored on the half-hour mark when Eugen Polanski’s attempted clearance from Marvin Plattenhardt’s free-kick ended up going in off the post. The goal-line technology confirmed that the ball had crossed before Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann scooped it away.
Eduardo Vargas came closest for Hoffenheim when he headed wide from a corner late on.
“It was a very difficult game,” Dardai said of the weather. “There were few goal chances, one goal.”
Security measures were increased for the game following the terror attacks in Paris and the cancelation of Germany’s international friendly with the Netherlands in Hannover on Tuesday last week.
“It’s a special matchday,” Hertha president Werner Gegenbauer said. “A matchday on which we all want to and will show compassion and sadness, but also courage, strength and confidence.”
Later on Sunday, Ingolstadt 04 came from behind to defeat fellow promoted side SV Darmstadt 98 3-1 and climb to eighth.
Darmstadt captain Aytac Sulu headed the visitors in front from a corner in the ninth minute, but Ingolstadt turned the game around with two goals in as many minutes.
Robert Bauer equalized with a brilliant strike in off the underside of the crossbar in the 58th minute, before Moritz Hartmann scored a penalty after Junior Diaz brought down Pascal Gross.
Hartmann sealed the result in the 88th minute with a diving header from Alfredo Morales’ cross.
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