That doesn't happen every day: Hertha BSC was 0-3 behind and was dead, in the end the Berliners almost won the game.
Dusseldorf (dpa) - When the fans of Fortuna Dusseldorf mocked the opponent with "Jürgen Klinsmann, you are the best man" chants after a sovereign 3-0 lead, the team completely lost the thread and gambled away the sure-believed victory.
With an unbelievable morale and many chances to score, the recently heavily criticized Hertha professionals scored three goals and an important point win - also for their own well-being. "There has been a lot of talk recently that we are not a team. If we were not a team, we would not have come back like that. None of us gave up," said Maximilian Mittelstädt after the spectacular 3: 3 (0: 2) at the table -16.
After the chaos surrounding ex-coach Jürgen Klinsmann and his settlement with his former club, the Berliners gave the answer on the pitch. "Now everything is out and everything has been said, he has to put it on his cap. It is not our job. Our coach is Alexander Nouri," said Herthas midfielder Per Skjelbred. And the Berlin transition coach had drawn the right conclusions from the first half and brought two new players to Mittelstädt and Marius Wolf.
"More important than the changes was that the players communicated with each other and Thomas Kraft released another impulse," said Nouri, who had already surprised with seven changes in the starting eleven, but replaced Dodi Lukebakio and Javairo Dilrosun again at the break. The change came into play with new staff, the Berliners went better, were more aggressive in the duels and came through an own goal by Erik Thommy and the goal of Matheus Cunha to 2: 3 within two minutes. Krzysztof Piatek's penalty spoiled the hosts' victory and meant the 1500th goal in Düsseldorf's Bundesliga history.
Fortuna coach Uwe Rösler was totally disappointed. "This draw feels like a defeat," said the head coach after a game in which his team was clearly superior for a half and which gave Kenan Karaman (6th) and Thommy (10th) two goals , Karaman, who had been absent for a long time due to pneumonia, scored 3-0 - the game was actually over. And in the end they almost lost it when Cunha only hit the outside post (90th + 1).
Sports director Lutz Pfannenstiel could hardly believe it. "After a 3: 0 still 3: 3 - that is a disaster. The concentration was lacking, the goals conceded panic. It is difficult to explain," said the 46-year-old, who is leaving the season. The Düsseldorfers don't have much time to push frustration. The cup quarter-finals at 1. FC Saarbrücken are scheduled for Tuesday. "We want to move into the semi-finals there," said Karaman.
Squad Fortuna Düsseldorf
Squad Hertha BSC
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