Newly promoted Hertha Berlin were close to making it two from two on their return to the Bundesliga with a 2-2 draw away to Nuremberg.
Nuremberg scored their first first-half goal for five months in the 40th minute through Josip Drmic after a neat passing move and went into the break ahead.
However, Hertha came out strongly in the second half and turned it around with an own goal from Berkay Dabanli and a penalty from Ronny.
Just as it looked like Nuremberg had lost, Hiroshi Kiyotake fired in a superb free kick to steal a point at the death.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello fussball fans! Welcome to our coverage of today's Bundesliga action. First up we have Nuremberg at home to Hertha Berlin.
It's early days of course, but both sides should be reasonably happy with their respective starts to the season. The hosts pulled back from 2-0 down at Hoffenheim to take a creditable draw, while Hertha stunned everyone with a 6-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
The teams are in, so I'll get straight on to that.
Nuremberg XI: Schafer; Feulner, Dabanli, Pogatetz, Pinola; Balistch; Mak, Stark, Kiyotake, Drmic; Ginczek
Nuremberg substitutes: Rakovsky, Chandler, Plattenhardt, Angha, Frantz, Esswein, Pekhart
HERTHA XI: Kraft; Pekarik, Langkamp, Janker, Holland; Lustenberger, Hosogai; Allagui, Baumjohann, Ben Hatira; Ramos
Hertha substitutes: Burchert, Brooks, Kluge, Ronny, Niemeyer, Schulz, Wagner
So for the hosts their saviours last Saturday against Hoffenheim, Hiroshi Kiyotake and Daniel Ginczek, both start. Ginczek leads the line, but Josip Drmic and Kiyotake will be energetic in support of him.
They also have a very effective bench, should things not be going their way in the second half. Alexander Esswein, although inconsistent, has the ability to change games, with Tomas Pekhart available should a more direct approach be required.
For Hertha, Adrian Ramos retains his place up top following his brace in the side's demolition of Frankfurt. A blow, however, is that as expected Johannes van den Bergh misses out through injury. He might not be back for a fortnight. Christoph Janker comes into the middle of the defence in his place.
Arguably their most dangerous substitute this afternoon is Ronny. He came off the bench to score his side's sixth last time out, but is also a tidy passer able to unlock defences if given a yard of space.
So with less than five minutes to go until kickoff, who are the favourites today? It's close, but home advantage gives Nuremberg the edge according to the bookies. They are at 8/5, with Hertha 12/5 - so in truth either side is worth a bet.
PREDICTION: I, however, am backing Nuremberg today. Yes, Hertha won 6-1 last time but I do expect that to be something of a freak result and can see the quality of the hosts showing through. Let's say 2-0, shall we?
Add to the fact that Hertha have not won here for slightly over 10 years, and you can see why I don't quite fancy them today! The players are out and we're not far away.
KICKOFF: Nuremberg kick us off then, let's see some goals!
Nuremberg begin the game with some passing around the back to get everyone into the game. Hollan steps in to make a good interception, but the pass to Ben-Hatira is overhit.
Early look for Hosogai, who tries to get on the end of a lofted ball into the box, but Raphael Schafer is in bravely to claim the ball and then take the foul.
Ben-Hatira is fouled by Markus Feulner, who tried to win the ball quickly before his man could turn. The player gets up himself to take the kick, and it's cleared behind for a corner. From it Nuremberg look to break but Peter Pekarik is in to cut it out.
BOOKING: Hertha, and in particular Ben-Hatira, are looking lively early on here. Berkay Dabanli goes into the book for a lunging tackle on Ramos - he was just done for pace there right on the edge of the box. Danger here...
The referee has to calm things down in the middle, as there's a bit of a scuffle. From the left corner of the box, Ben-Hatira tries to catch out Schafer, but he was never likely to get the angle he needed with his left foot and it goes harmlessly over. It should have been whipped into the danger area, if you ask me.
Josip Drmic embarks on a superb run down the left. He's getting tugged all over the place but once he gets the chance for a cut-back there's no-one in support. That's laziness from Nuremberg - or that they simply couldn't keep up with him. One of the two.
Feulner this time wins a free kick after drawing the foul from Ben-Hatira. It has been a good battle so far on the Hertha left, which should continue. Holland gets a talking to for a foul of his own - his boot is high going for the ball, and he's fortunate not to get booked I think.
Thomas Kraft comes to collect Kiyotake's free kick, but it goes further than he expected. In the end he gets a touch on it to concede the corner. Fabian Lustenberger heads that one behind and the Japanese gets another chance to cross. This time he finds Daniel Ginczek at the back post, but it's too high and he cannot divert it on target.
Baumjohann twists and turns to try to create room for the shot, but he eventually gives it away and Nuremberg break. Robert Mak finds Ginczek, but he handballs trying to chest it down. At the other end Ramos swings in a deep cross from the right. He picks out the completely unmarked Ben-Hatira but the shot is skewed right back to the now offside Ramos.
That's good skill from Drmic, who then cuts into the box. Nuremberg have Feulner on the overlap, but the crowd of Hertha defenders stop the ball getting to him. They're looking a little shaky at the back now as Allagui is done by Pinola and brings him down on the Nuremberg left. Chance to cross again for Kiyotake.
OFF THE POST! That is the perfect delivery from Kiyatoke! He finds Ginczek on the edge of the six-yard box but the striker is unlucky to see his shot beat Kraft but come back off the post.
Nuremberg win another free kick as they continue to pile on the pressure. This one is about 35 yards from goal as Balistch is tripped. Again Kiyotake steps over it and he delivers another good one, which Langkamp meets to head behind for a corner - good defending.
Still the hosts are camped in the Hertha box. Balls are coming into the area from free kicks, throw-ins and crosses, but they just haven't been able to get that goal. Pinola strikes from range but it goes wide to relieve some of the pressure on the visitors.
BOOKING: Hertha manage a little bit of possession of their own, but Holland's throw towards Baumjohann is too long and the ball is back with Nuremberg. Feulner goes in late and clips Hosogai - he becomes the second player on his team booked because of it.
The game has settled down again now following the Nuremberg spell of pressure. There has still been very little threat to the hosts' goal and just the one really good chance at the other end. It's tactical at the moment, with neither side wanting to commit too much just yet.
Mak gets his first sight of goal from the edge of the box. He cuts back on to his weaker left foot and shoots low, but it's comfortable for Kraft.
BOOKING: First card of the match for Hertha there, as Pekarik goes into the book after clipping Kiyotake. The Japanese was just too skilful.
CHANCE! Ben-Hatira thinks he's scored! The ball is cut across to him by Ramos but Feulner somehow sticks out a leg to poke it away from him. Fantastic saving challenge to stop a certain goal.
CHANCE: Kiyotake again has a chance to swing in a free kick from almost the byline on the right. It's cleared and Baumjohann does brilliantly to keep it in. His cross somehow reaches Ben-Hatira but Schafer saves bravely at his feet.
GOAL! Nuremberg 1-0 Hertha (Josip Drmic)
Nuremberg have scored their first goal in the first half in the Bundesliga for five months! Drmic He hovers on the back of the defence, in between the two central defenders. Ginczek spots this and after a driving run plays him in perfectly, with Drmic sliding the ball in neatly. A really well worked goal.
Hertha try a free kick from the training ground, but the shot is blocked. From it Nuremberg win a throw up the pitch to relieve the pressure. They will be delighted if they can keep this lead into the break.
There will be just one minute added on at the end of the half and I would be surprised now if Hertha managed an equaliser before then.
HALF-TIME: Nuremberg 1-0 Hertha Berlin
So we're half way through what has been an intriguing contest so far. Nuremberg do deserve to be in front as they have looked the most threatening and it was a nicely taken goal as well. Hertha have had one or two chances, but haven't threatened enough in truth.
Before the goal, Nuremberg did come inches away from scoring when Ginczek hit the post with a header from a Kiyotake free kick. The striker was excellent both leading the line and linking play in the first half.
Nuremberg's awful run without scoring a first half goal in five months - which was 14 straight in the second half - had to end some time. They will be delighted that they have and Michael Wiesinger I'm sure will want to keep things as they are in the second half.
We could well see a change at the break for Hertha, although there has been enough from them - mainly Ben-Hatira - to suggest that the current XI do have goals in them. Ronny is an option and could boost the area in which they have been weakest - the link from midfield to attack.
KICKOFF: The visitors get us back underway. There have been no changes at the break so it's as you were.
Hertha win an early free kick, which is put into the box by Ben-Hatira. Ramos leaps for it but cannot reach the ball as it bounces and goes out of play. That delivery deserved better.
CHANCE: That has to go down as a chance for Ramos. The defence basically leave him to his own devices from a cross into the box, but he dives on to it with a header and after getting there should have made better contact - instead it goes wide.
BOOKINGS: Handbags at dawn! Baumjohann and Pinola clash after the latter was clipped. There's a bit of a scuffle between the two and both players are booked. Petty.
CHANCE: Another chance goes the way of the visitors. Lustenberger is found in the box and thinks the goal is gaping, but an incredible last-ditch tackle deflects the certain goal over the bar.
Still there is pressure from Hertha, as they win a corner. Baumjohann goes across to take it but it's too far for even the deepest player in the box Allagui.
NUREMBERG SUB: Direct swap for the hosts as Timothy Chandler comes on for Feulner. The number seven is limping slightly, so that must be the reason for his replacement - he's certainly played well enough to stay on.
GOAL! Nuremberg 1-1 Hertha (Berkay Dabanli o.g.)
That is harsh on Dabanli! Initially it's a good turn in the box by Allagui, who creates space on his left for a shot. The effort is going a long way wide but strikes Dabanli in the chest and past the wrong-footed Schafer. They've deserved that equaliser for their pressure.
CHANCE: What a chance for 2-1 Hertha! Baumjohann is through but insists on hitting it with his right, despite the angle favouring the left foot. He pokes it goalwards but Schafer is there to block. That has to be a goal really.
NUREMBERG SUBSTITUTION: Mike Frantz comes on for Mak for Nuremberg.
HERTHA SUBS: Ronny and Sandro Wagner are on in place of Janker and Allagui. Hertha sense this you feel.
BOOKING: First half-chance of the half for Nuremberg and it falls to the new man Frantz. He gets in behind with pace, but his shot from the edge of the box is saved comfortably. Stark is then booked for a tackle slightly from behind on Ronny.
BOOKING: I've lost count of the bookings now. Chandler is booked, which I think makes it four yellows now for Nuremberg. Stark comes off for Alexander Esswein, which is the last throw of the dice for them.
Ronny gets his first sight of goal from about 20 yards. His shot is confident and on target, but it's easy for Schafer to gather down low.
It's still Hertha with much more possession. The whole half has been played in the Nuremberg half pretty much and if I was to pick a winner from here it would certainly be the newly promoted side. However, chances are few and far between on both sides.
PENALTY TO HERTHA!
GOAL! Nuremberg 1-2 Hertha (Ronny, pen)
Very touch call that! From the angle from behind it looks as though Pinola gets a touch on the ball, but from another angle it looks as though Lustenberger gets the touch before the tackle comes in. Either way, Ronny sends Schafer the wrong way to turn it around for Hertha.
Hosogai rolls around on the floor and makes a meal of a tackle from Chandler. Fortunately, the referee does not buy it and although he gives the free kick does not show a second yellow to the American.
HERTHA SUB: Baumjohann makes way for John Anthony Brooks. The midfielder is in no rush to come off, of course. He has played well today. Brooks is a defender, so there could be some reshuffling.
This is heading towards becoming a fantastic start for Hertha on their return to the top flight. Nuremberg were not the best last season, of course, but to turn around a 1-0 deficit away from home is no mean feat.
GOAL! Nuremberg 2-2 Hertha (Hiroshi Kiyotake)
Fantastic strike from the Japanese! He has been threatening from set pieces all day and he has just fired one into the top corner from about 25 yards! One minute added on, we're heading for a draw.
FULL-TIME: Nuremberg 2-2 Hertha Berlin
Thanks for joining me today for this one. Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Braunschweig will be up on site soon so please join me for that!
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
