Kalou nets brace in seven-goal thriller at Augsburg

Augsburg 3-4 Hertha Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Hahn (10’), 1-1 Plattenhardt (47’), 2-1 Gregoritsch (pen. 50’), 2-2 Grujic (66’), 3-2 Gregoritsch (70’), 3-3 Kalou (75’), 3-4 Kalou (pen. 90'+2)

The home side had the ball inside the Hertha net within three minutes after Georg Teigl looped a header over back-up goalkeeper Thomas Kraft, but the offside flag saw the goal ruled out. Augsburg wouldn’t have to wait long for their opener, however, when Marco Richter won a ball in midfield and gave it to Andre Hahn, who drove at the Berlin backline and picked out the bottom corner with a low drive from 25 yards. Hertha grew into the game as the half went on and had chances but failed to really test Gregor Kobel.

The visitors struck almost immediately after the restart after Augsburg failed to clear a corner, and Marvin Plattenhardt popped up to volley home his first goal of the season. The lead lasted less than three minutes though, as Karim Rekik blocked Hahn in the box and substitute Michael Gregoritsch converted from the penalty spot. Ondrej Duda then had a golden chance to equalise again after a one-two with Salomon Kalou but chipped the ball straight into the hands of Kobel. Marko Grujic did head Berlin back level from a corner but once again Gregoritsch restored the lead within minutes as he slotted beyond Kraft. Kalou headed home Valentino Lazaro’s cross to bring it back to 3-3, and the Ivorian then converted an injury-time penalty after substitute Pascal Köpke was taken down in the box, completing a remarkable comeback for Hertha.

• Six of Kalou’s eight goals have come in the second half of the season. It’s the first time this campaign he’s scored in back-to-back games.
• Plattenhardt’s goal was his first in the Bundesliga since March 2017. All of his previous seven in the league had come from free-kicks.
• Pal Dardai ended his Hertha tenure having never lost away at Augsburg (four wins, five draws).
• Augsburg scored their 48th, 49th and 50th goals of this season, setting a new club record in the Bundesliga.
• Hahn scored his fourth goal of the season, including three since the winter break. It is one more than he managed in any of the previous three seasons with Hamburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
• Gregoritsch has converted both of his penalty attempts in the Bundesliga.

Augsburg: Kobel – Schmid, Gouweleeuw, Oxford, Max (Stafylidis 57’) – Baier (c) – Hahn, Koo (Gregoritsch 43’), Moravek (Janker 73’), Teigl – Richter
Unused subs: Luthe, Schieber, Ji, Danso
Out: Cordova (groin), Finnbogason (calf), Framberger (cruciate ligament), Giefer (ankle), Götze (hip), Jensen (ankle), Khedira (knock)
Coach: Martin Schmidt

Hertha: Kraft – Klünter (Dilrosun 67’), Lustenberger, Rekik, Plattenhardt – Grujic, Skjelbred – Lazaro, Duda (Köpke 87’), Kalou – Ibisevic (c) (Selke 82’)
Unused subs: Smarsch, Pekarik, Mittelstädt, Torunarigha
Out: Palk. Dardai (ankle), Darida (knee), Jarstein (knee), Leckie (ankle), Maier (knee), Stark (ankle)
Coach: Pal Dardai