Hertha Berlin continued their excellent start to the season with an exciting 3-2 victory at home to Werder Bremen after going behind early on.
Nils Petersen fired his side in front with a powerful effort before an Adrian Ramos levelled the scores just a couple of minutes later.
A low Ramos strike from an angle put Hertha in front, but just after the half-hour a swift counter-attack was finished off by Aaron Hunt. The decisive goal went to the hosts as Ronny tapped in from close range just after the restart.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Good evening Bundesliga fans! The new weekend of action starts right here tonight, with Hertha Berlin vs. Werder Bremen.
Hertha have started the season well, despite a little inconsistency. They are currently in seventh, with their very good defensive record at home really helping. They have conceded just six in the right games here.
The visitors are on a really poor run of form and are beginning to look over their shoulder in 14th. They have conceded 11 goals in two games, including the 7-0 hammering by Bayern Munich last weekend. They simply have to improve.
So, who's playing tonight? Well, I've got the teams in so bear with me a few moments.
HERTHA XI: Kraft; Pekarik, Lusti, Brooks, Schulz; Hosogai, Cigerci; Ndjeng, Ronny, Skjelbred; Ramos
WERDER XI: Wolf; Gebre Selassie, Lukimya, Caldirola, Garcia; Makiadi, Bargfrede; Elia, Hunt, Di Santo; Petersen
Hertha bench: Gersbeck, Kobiashvili, Niemeyer, Mukhtar, Wagner, Sahar, Allagui
Werder bench: Mielitz, Fritz, Rehfeldt, Ekici, Yildirim, Trybull, Kobylanski
It's pretty much as expected from the hosts, then. Adrian Ramos, who has been excellent so far, continues up front. Ronny in behind him will be the creative spark that could well be needed against what will surely be a drilled Werder defence after their last shambolic outing.
It is an interesting lineup from the visitors and it looks as though Franco di Santo will be playing just off Nils Petersen. With Eljero Elia and Aaron Hunt they have plenty of threat going forward, but it's just at the back where they must improve.
Only a few minutes away from kickoff, so I suppose I should make a prediction. I fancy a narrow 2-1 win for the hosts here. Werder will fight back, but Hertha have been good in front of their own fans.
KICKOFF: The hosts get us underway here. Can Werder get back to winning ways here?
It has been a good start from them and Petersen might think he could have done better there. Hunt does really well down the left and crosses low. Hunt takes a touch but it's heavy on the turn and rolls through to Kraft.
It has been a bit of a slow start, especially from the hosts. At the moment Werder are seeing more of the ball, but are far from on top. It's cold and wet - not ideal conditions for flowing, passing football.
First sign of attacking intent for the hosts here as Ronny takes a corner, but it's headed away solidly and in the end Werder win the throw.
Elia wins a free kick against Schulz with sheer pace. A little shove as Elia goes past is enough to bring him down. It's wide right, but this is a dangerous spot for Hunt to swing it in, however he cannot beat the edge of the box.
Lustenberger is brought down in the corner there as Garcia fouls him trying to stop the ball going out.
GOAL! Hertha 0-1 Werder (Nils Petersen)
That is a brilliant hit by Petersen! Hunt lays it across to him from just outside the box and rifles a low shot in off the inside of the near post.
PENALTY TO HERTHA!
GOAL! Hertha 1-1 Werder (Adrian Ramos, pen)
What a frantic few minutes. Gebre Selassie is penalised for a foul in the box on Ramos, and gets carded for his troubles. The striker makes no mistake form the spot and it was an instant response from the hosts.
Dangerous free kick now for the hosts as Lukimya brings down Ronny some 25 yards from goal. It's quite wide, but still Ronny will fancy his chances I reckon...
He drilled it straight into the wall and the rebound was also blocked. That wasn't one of Ronny's finest efforts. At the other end Werder have a free kick a bit wider, but Kraft is up well to gather Hunt's cross.
GOAL! Hertha 2-1 Werder (Adrian Ramos)
Really good pace from Ramos and that's a fine finish too. He gets on to the ball from Skjelbred just on the left side of the box and his pace gets him a clear shot. He's at a very tight angle, though, and squeezes a shot low and just inside the far post. I must question Wolf there, but take nothing away from Ramos's work.
Ronny does want in on the action and has another go from a set piece, but his shot goes over the bar with Wolf covering it. There was no danger there, the shot was quite floaty.
GOAL! Hertha 2-2 Werder (Aaron Hunt)
Werder really are looking awful at the back, but this is a great goal. Hunt drives through the middle on the break and he plays a one-two with Petersen to his left. When he has the ball back he curls a lovely finish into the side of the net from just inside the box. Counter-attacking at its most effective there.
It's surprisingly slack at the back from Hertha, who before today had only conceded six at home. That said, a lot of credit has to go to Werder for their finishing - they have created two chances and have scored them both.
CHANCE! Ramos might have a hat-trick! Cigerci cuts the ball across to him and the striker is left wide open, but turns his effort wide when he should have at least hit the target. There's also a change for the hosts as Brooks makes way for Niemeyer.
With that Hertha change there is a slight reshuffle. Hosogai has come back from midfield into the centre of defence, with Niemeyer into the holding midfield role. Interesting.
The action has died down a little in the last few minutes, which is unsurprising really. Werder are finishing the half the stronger side, but they aren't creating any chances since the goal.
Just one minute will be added on at the end of the half.
HALF-TIME: Hertha Berlin 2-2 Werder Bremen
Well, a really good first half has come to an end. In truth there wasn't chance upon chance, but a combination of defensive errors and fine finishing has seen two goals go in for each side.
Hertha have perhaps had the better of the play and more chances, but really it's about right that it's level. Petersen and Hunt's finishes were superb, while at the other end Ramos has run the Werder back line ragged.
Kraft was furious with his defence at the second goal, but really there was not a lot they could have done. Hunt countered at pace and the one-two with Petersen was perfect. His finish? Just as good. It's really well poised for the second half.
Hertha have already made a change, which presumably was down to injury. I'm not sure that there will be further subs at the break as this one could yet go either way - both coaches will be reasonably pleased, except with the defending.
The players are back out for the second half. Will we see more goals? I certainly expect so.
We are back underway. The change during the first half was in fact tactical - that's embarrassing for Brooks! No further subs at the break.
Early chance for Petersen, who heads a corner goalwards but sees his effort go just wide. Kraft was scrambling, but he might have just got there had it been on target.
GOAL! Hertha 3-2 Werder (Ronny)
Ronny has his goal! It's dreadful defending once more as Werder don't clear Cigerci's cross. It goes all the way to Pekarik, whose header is saved only for Ronny to tap in from a couple of yards out. Hertha back in front.
BOOKING: Garcia brings down Ronny on the Hertha right as the goalscorer broke at pace. He was never getting there and really takes one for the team with his sliding tackle. His colleagues are now back defending the free kick.
Hertha are managing just to settle this one down a little. Apart form that early header, Werder have not created anything in this half. It is looking like there will only be one team to score the next goal.
It's an important part of the game now. The next goal is really crucial. If the hosts get it then there is only one winner, but there could be a huge momentum swing with a goal from Werder. They're coming into it a bit now and have a corner.
As snap-shot from Lustenberger is blocked behind for a corner, but from it there's a foul on Wolf and Werder escape. The fog is coming down thickly now. Werder are getting slightly aimless, with Petersen comfortably beaten to most balls forward.
Hertha do attack with pace when they decide to get forward. Pekarik is just beaten to it down the right-hand side by a sliding Garcia. Even on a booking, you won't find him shying away from a tackle.
BOOKING: Cigerci goes into the book after a 50-50 with Bargfrede. I'm not sure there was a great deal in it, but the Werder man seems to have come off worse in the challenge.
It's fair to say this second 45 has not lived up to the first. Werder are seriously running out of ideas in attack. Some good football sends Skjelbred away down the right, but with just one man to aim at his effort is cleared.
CLOSE! A chance opens up for Ndjeng on the edge of the box as he is not closed down, but his low effort goes a couple of yards wide. Meanwhile, Mehmet Ekici is on for Makiadi for the visitors - can he add a bit of creativity?
HERTHA SUB: Ramos, who took a blow earlier in the game, makes way for Sandro Wagner. He's escorted off by Garcia, who wants him to hurry up. Bargfrede is also down again, but he should be ok.
CLOSE! That could have been the equaliser. A free kick comes into the box and it bobbles around after a couple of failed clearances. Caldirola slashes at it but puts it over from about eight yards.
Werder are starting to show a little more as the game nears the final 10 minutes. Elia, who is operating on the left at the moment, gets to the byline but just takes it out of play as he goes for the cross. Lustenberger is clearing everything into the box at the moment.
HERTHA SUB: Final change for the hosts here, with the tireless Skjelbred coming off for Levan Kobiashvili. He will provide a little bit more protection for the defence.
Some good football between Petersen and Hunt, but the latter's ball in for Elia who was cutting in is jut slightly overhit. The winger then fouls Wagner as he tried to win the ball back. Hertha are in no hurry with this free kick on the half way line.
CLOSE! Werder won't get closer than that! Hunt bends in a free kick from 30 yards. He got it over the wall and Kraft really should do better, spilling it on to the post. It then required Kobiashvili to react quickest to hack it off the line. That really should not have caused so much trouble.
Now the visitors have a late corner as Hosogai cleared behind following an attempted Elia cross. From it Kraft makes a big claim and is then clattered by Garcia. The physio is called on, but I think he's probably just winded is the goalkeeper.
There will be a whole five minutes of time to play at the end of this half. Enough time still for Werder, although the ball is currently with Hertha in the far corner.
It's route one stuff now for Bremen, with Lukimya coming forward as an extra striker. It's all Lustenberger, however, who is meeting all the dangerous balls.
It looks as though Hertha have seen this out. The have a free kick wide on the right after Bargfrede jumped for a header hands first.
FULL-TIME: Hertha Berlin 3-2 Werder Bremen
Hertha move - albeit temporarily - into the top six, while Werder's woes continue. It was an excellent game of football, but the right side just about won.
That's all from me for this one. Please do come back over the weekend for much more action from the Bundesliga. From me now, though, it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
