Bundesliga
Second half goals from Dodi Lukebakio and Marco Richter were enough for Hertha Berlin to seal a 2-0 win over Augsburg as Sandro Schwarz's side claimed all three points for the first time this season.
Augsburg 0-2 Hertha
Goals: 0-1 Lukebakio 57' (assist: Plattenhardt), 0-2 Richter 90+4' (assist: Selke)
With the home side on just three points going into the game and their one-point visitors still looking for a first win of the campaign, the Matchday 7 meeting at the WWK Arena had all the trappings of an early relegation six-pointer. It gave way for a tentative start to proceedings, with Mergim Berisha going closest half an hour in as the Augsburg debutant kissed the outside of the Hertha post from a tight angle. That was about as good as it got in terms of attempts on goal, with both defences standing resolutely as the two teams held one another at arm's length.
Home boss Enrico Maaßen looked for Ruben Vargas for inspiration after the break, with the 24-year-old Switzerland international replacing Arne Maier for the start of the second half. But it was Hertha who found the breakthrough as Marvin Plattenhardt's delightful cross from the left headed downwards and into the back of the net by Lukebakio. Lucas Tousart should have doubled his team's lead in the final 10 minutes but his own header was straight at home goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz, who completed a routine save. They finally got their second when Richter tapped home from close range in stoppage time, scoring his first goal since surgery to remove a malignant tumour just months ago. Their first win of the season moves Hertha above Augsburg and out of the bottom-three.
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Watch: Richter: "It was very emotional"
Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Bauer, Gouweleeuw (c), Gumny - Caligiuri, Maier (Vargas 46'), Gruezo (Baumgartlinger 36'), Rexhbecaj (Petkov 82'), Pedersen - Demirovic (Niederlechner 74'), Berisha (Hahn 74')
Unused subs: Klein, Framberger, Zehntner
Out: Dorsch (metatarsal), Iago (unconfirmed), Oxford (knee), Sarenren Bazee (cruciate ligament), Jensen (knock), Strobl (knee), Uduokhai (ankle), Winther (muscular)
Coach: Enrico Maaßen
Hertha: Christensen - Kenny, Uremovic, Kempf, Plattenhardt (c) - Sunjic, Tousart, Serdar (Boëtius 58') - Lukebakio (Dardai 83'), Kanga (Selke 83'), Ejuke (Richter 68')
Unused subs: Ernst, Pekarik, Darida, Maolida, Mittlestädt
Out: Dong-jun Lee (knee), Gechter (tonsils), Jarstein (not considered), Jovetic (unspecified), Ngankam (knee), Nsona (cruciate ligament), Prince-Boatend (muscular), Scherhant (muscular)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz
Watch: Lukebakio: "My heading is getting better!"