Davie Selke's goalscoring form continued for Hertha Berlin but coach Pal Dardai singled out the striker after Werder Bremen salvaged a late point. Selke and Hertha are making progress, but both still have much to learn.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Gora
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When the final whistle blew at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Saturday, Hertha coach Pal Dardai made a beeline for Davie Selke, stood motionless in the center circle.
"Don't stand behind him, stand in front of him!" he told the striker, energetically springing either side of Selke to demonstrate what he meant.
Just moments earlier, in the sixth minute of injury time, Werder Bremen's Claudio Pizarro had fired a free-kick under the wall to become the oldest Bundesliga goalscorer of all time, aged 40, and rescue a late point for the visitors.
The ball deflected twice and the wall didn't do its job but Dardai knew the damage had been done before that, when Hertha had lost possession from a thrown-in higher up the pitch.
Poorly positioned
Receiving the throw, Selke had positioned himself behind his man in what would normally have been an offside position – a common position for a striker to take, but not with a 1-0 lead to defend and the clock ticking down.
"He didn't hold the ball up and that's what allowed them to counter-attack," explained Dardai. "But we should have been two or three up at half-time anyway. We didn't take our chances."
One of those chances had fallen to Selke early on when he saw an effort fly back off the post after Salomon Kalou had played him through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. But the 24-year-old wasn't deterred and when Kalou unselfishly played him in again five minutes later, he made no mistake.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Franklin
Selke didn't celebrate against his former club, which he left in less than amicable circumstances in 2015, dropping down a division to join the ever-popular RB Leipzig.
Finding form
But he would have been well within his rights to do so; such is his form in 2019. It was only his fourth goal in all competitions this season but it was his third since the turn of the year, and his third in three straight games.
Add the eight assists he has contributed this campaign – more in his last seven than his previous 94 Bundesliga games combined – and it's clear to see why Dardai opted to persevere with the 24-year-old ahead of Vedad Ibisevic against Bremen, a game in which three points would have seen Hertha edge up to a Europa League place overnight.
It's not been an easy journey for Selke, the Stuttgart-born son of a Czech mother and an Ethiopian father, who underwent an operation on a serious lung injury last summer but who has recovered to develop into a striker who provides electric pace, strength in the air and clinical finishing – sometimes, anyway.
The Germany U19 and U21 European champion will likely retain his place in the starting line-up away at Bayern Munich next week after substitute Ibisevic was shown a fifth yellow card of the season for needlessly getting involved in a touchline dispute. But this was a reminder of how much he still has to learn.
There is work to do yet for both Selke and Hertha, and Pal Dardai will no doubt be on hand to demonstrate.
Bundesliga: Matchday 22 roundup
Bayern Munich started the matchday with a comeback win, Dortmund ended it with a shock draw. RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg all won comfortably, while Claudio Pizarro defied his age again to save Werder Bremen.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
Frankfurt 1-1 Mönchengladbach
Denis Zakaria salvaged a point for Gladbach with a late equalizer in Frankfurt — but it could have been so much better for the visitors. Danny da Costa put Frankfurt ahead in first half stoppage time and they appeared on course for victory, but Zakaria's 82nd minute strike restored parity. Gladbach should have won it with the final kick, but Josip Drmic couldn't hit the target from close range.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
Nuremberg 0-0 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund struggled once again in attack, managing just a 0-0 draw against bottom-placed Nuremberg. The draw was the fifth consecutive game in all competitions that Dortmund have failed to win. Mario Götze had a few good opportunities, but Nuremberg keeper Christian Mathenia stood strong when tested. Dortmund are now just three points ahead of title rivals Bayern Munich.
Image: AFP/T. Schamberger
Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Bayer Leverkusen moved into fifth, their highest position of the season, with a 2-0 win over Fortuna Düsseldorf. Kai Havertz set them moving with a good finish from Kevin Volland's cross, with Leon Bailey continuing his return to form under Peter Bosz with the second, midway through the second half. Bosz now has four wins in five since taking the reins at Leverkusen. Düsseldorf remain 12th.
Image: Imago/M. Volkmann
Hertha Berlin 1-1 Werder Bremen
A twice-deflected free kick from veteran striker Claudio Pizarro denied Hertha with the last kick of the game. The hosts took a deserved lead after 25 minutes when Davie Selke scored shortly after hitting the post. Ondrej Duda also struck the woodwork as Hertha tried to double their lead. They were left to rue their wastefullness when Pizarro stepped up in the sixth minute of added time.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Franklin
Stuttgart 1-3 RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig remained on course for a return to the Champions League, eventually running out comfortable winners in Stuttgart, where Thomas Hitzlsperger took his place on the home bench for the first time as sporting director. Steven Zuber's penalty cancelled out Yussuf Poulsen's early strike but a classy Marcel Sabitzer free kick and a second Poulsen goal wrapped up all three points.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/C. Kaspar-Bartke
Hoffenheim 3-0 Hannover
Joelinton continued his impressive debut Bundesliga season with the opener in a straightforward home win for Julian Nagelsmann's side that keeps them in the European picture. Kerem Demirbay, who impressed all game, created the second for Ishak Belfodil before adding the third himself ten minutes from time.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
Schalke 0-0 Freiburg
A red card for this dangerous tackle from Suat Serdar (right) was the major talking point of a drab draw. In a game of few chances, Freiburg thought they had a golden opportunity late on but the VAR over-ruled a penalty initially awarded for handball, before Freiburg's Christian Günter saw red late on. The result means both sides edge a point close to safety.
Image: Imago/M. Müller
Wolfsburg 3-0 Mainz
A first goal of the season from Maximilian Arnold (second from right) sent the Wolves fifth, for a day at least. Arnold's fourth-minute strike set the tone of the match early and it was little surprise when Wout Weghorst put away a penalty to double the hosts' lead in the second half. Robin Knoche was in the right place to grab the scrappy third late on.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Augsburg 2-3 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich moved to within two points of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table with a comeback win in Augsburg on Friday. Leon Goretzka scored an own goal after 13 seconds, and Bayern twice fought back through Kingsley Coman goals to go in level at the break. David Alaba provided the game's only moment of quality early in the second half, collecting Coman's pass and striking a fine winner.
