Borussia Dortmund VS Hertha Berlin, expect home to edge a close encounter

Match Time：3/14/2021 01:30 Sunday  (GMT+8)

German Bundesliga --  Borussia Dortmund   VS   Hertha Berlin

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Borussia Dortmund take on Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with the hosts languishing four points outside of the Champions League qualification places.  

 

Hertha, meanwhile, ended a winless run of nine league games last weekend, but still have plenty of work to do to move further away from the relegation zone.  

 

Match preview  

After four wins in a row in all competitions, Dortmund headed into their away trip at Bayern Munich full of confidence of beating the reigning European and Bundesliga champions, and looked on course to achieve it after Erling Braut Haaland struck twice within the opening 10 minutes.  

 

The Norway striker's shot from distance deflected off Jerome Boateng and beyond Manuel Neuer less than two minutes after kickoff, with Nico Schulz and Thorgan Hazard - two players who may not have started had Raphael Guerreiro and Jadon Sancho been fit - superbly combining down the left flank before cutting the ball back for the Golden Boy award winner to calmly double BVB's lead.  

 

However, superb wing play by Leroy Sane and a clumsy tackle by Mahmoud Dahoud allowed Robert Lewandowski to reply with a simple brace of his own to level proceedings before half time, with Leon Goretzka breaking Dortmund hearts with a superb volley in the 88th minute to complete the turnaround and snatch a dramatic victory. Lewandowski even found time to rub salt in the wounds of his former club by smashing past Marwin Hitz from distance for his hat-trick.  

 

Edin Terzic will take confidence from the way his side played against one of the best teams in Europe, though, especially having nervily held on to draw 2-2 with Sevilla in midweek and progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.  

 

 

Realistically, the 38-year-old needs to guide BVB into the top four to ensure his successor Marco Rose has Europe's elite competition to compete in, with a win against Hertha on Saturday potentially the start of another winning run in order to achieve that.   

 

Since being appointed for his second spell in charge of Hertha towards the end of anuary, Pal Dardai had not had much luck, both in terms of the fixture schedule and gaining the results his side's performances largely deserved.  

 

Indeed, four of the 44-year-old's first five games in charge were against the top four sides in the league, so the Hungarian would have been relieved to see Augsburg at home upcoming having gained only one point from those matches. 

 

Dardai must have feared the worst, though, after Laszlo Benes's superb first-time shot provided the visitors with the lead inside two minutes. Augsburg are generally very strong at protecting leads, too, with Heiko Herrlich gearing his side towards playing in transition.  

 

However, Krzysztof Piatek levelled the proceedings after the hour mark with an excellent header from Vladimir Darida's cross, before Mads Pedersen's clumsy tackle allowed substitute Dodi Lukebakio to snatch a crucial win from the penalty spot with only one minute of normal time remaining.  

 

Dardai will be hoping for similar spirit on display at Dortmund, but at least his players can breathe a little easier for the time being having moved two points clear of Arminia Bielefeld and the relegation zone.  

 

Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga form: WLDWWL  

Borussia Dortmund form (all competitions): WWWWLD 

Hertha Berlin Bundesliga form: LLDLLW 

 

Team News  

Sancho and Guerreiro will miss out for Dortmund once more, with neither expected to recover until after the upcoming international break.  

 

Terzic is likely to be without Giovanni Reyna, Manuel Akanji, Axel Witsel and Marcel Schmelzer, too.  Jude Bellingham should retain his place in midfield after an impressive performance in midweek.  

 

Hertha are likely to travel to Dortmund without Matheus Cunha, Sami Khedira, Dedryck Boyata and Nemanja Radonjic due to injury.  

 

Jhon Cordoba and Piatek looked lively in tandem last weekend, so Dardai will be tempted to utilise them as a pair once again.  

 

Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup: 

Hitz; Meunier, Can, Hummels, Schulz; Delaney, Dahoud, Bellingham; Hazard, Haaland, Reus  

 

Hertha Berlin possible starting lineup: 

Jarstein; Klunter, Stark, Dardai; Zeefuik, Tousart, Darida, Guendouzi, Mittelstadt; Piatek, Cordoba    

 

Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Hertha Berlin