A winning start to pre-season in Stahnsdorf

Pál Dárdai’s starting XI for the first pre-season friendly included new signing Fabian Reese, Marten Winkler, back from his loan spell at Waldhof Mannheim, and academy products Eliyas Strasner and Veit Stange. The Hertha players, sporting the new home kit, took control of the game early on.

Two goals for Winkler

Reese had the first shot of the afternoon from the left-hand side, hitting his effort straight at the goalkeeper (7’). Marten Winkler broke the deadlock after a quarter of an hour, firing in a low drive on his left foot from just outside the box (15’). Around a minute later, Marco Richter, wearing the captain’s armband, doubled Hertha’s lead with an excellent acrobatic effort inside the area. Dárdai’s side got their third goal in the 28th minute via Florian Niederlechner. He finished through the keeper’s legs after a good run and ball in by Reese. RSV goalkeeper Niclas Schulze was on his toes in the 31st minute to deny Richter, with Niederlechner then striking the post from the rebound. Niederlechner had the ball in the net five minutes later, however it was ruled out for offside. Instead, Marc Kempf made it 4-0 with a header from a corner (38’). There was time for one more goal before the break too. The impressive Richter found Winkler with a pass and the youngster got his second goal to send the two teams in with Hertha 5-0 up (42’).

A number of changes – Gersbeck and Christensen make their first appearances

Coach Pál Dárdai changed his whole team for the second half. New signings Marius Gersbeck and Gustav Christensen both appeared for the club for the first time since joining. Derry Scherhant rounded the goalkeeper to score Hertha’s sixth in the 58th minute. The hosts were more solid after the interval and that led to fewer dangerous chances for the Old Lady. Shots by Scherhant and Bence Dárdai were blocked (82’) and it eventually finished 6-0.

Our next friendly is back in the capital on Friday against BFC Dynamo. Kick off at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark is at 19:00 CEST.

Hertha BSC (first half): Ernst – Kenny, Uremović, Kempf, Strasner – Ciğerci, Stange – Winkler, Richter (C), Reese – Niederlechner

Hertha BSC (second half): Gersbeck (C) – Eitschberger, Gechter, Da Silva Kiala, Rölke – Kesik, Klemens – G. Christensen, B. Dárdai, Myziane – Scherhant

Goals: 0-1 Winkler (15’), 0-2 Richter (16’), 0-3 Niederlechner (28’), 0-4 Kempf (38’), 0-5 Winkler (43’), 0-6 Scherhant (58’)

Referee: Tobias Hagemann

Attendance: 2,268