Hertha BSC Berlin 1 - 3 Hoffenheim: Hertha Berlin suffer second home Bundesliga defeat of season

Posted Saturday, April 01, 2017 by PA

Ten-man Hertha Berlin fell to a home defeat for only the second time in the Bundesliga this season following a 3-1 loss against Hoffenheim as their hunt for Champions League football next season took a major setback.

Hertha Berlin took the lead after 32 minutes when a swift counter attack started by Salomon Kalou saw the Ivorian set up Alexander Esswein but he sliced the ball straight into the path of Peter Pekarik and the full-back drilled it home at the near post for his first ever league goal.

Hoffenheim were level six minutes later when defender Max Mittelstadt was adjudged to have handled in the area and Andrej Kramaric coolly slotted home.

The hosts were reduced to to 10 men after Mittelstadt was dismissed for his second yellow card following a late challenge on Nadiem Amiri with over half an hour of the match still remaining, and Hoffenheim took full advantage.

Central defender Niklas Sule hit a 30-yard wonder strike off the underside of the crossbar to put the visitors ahead after 76 minutes before Kramaric grabbed his second late on to seal the win.

The victory moved Hoffenheim up to third in the table with Hertha staying in fifth place, six points off the final Champions League spot.