Hertha Berlin coach Bruno Labbadia had to wait 5 1/2 months for his first game with supporters cheering on his side.
They didn’t help.
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Hertha Berlin coach Bruno Labbadia had to wait 5 1/2 months for his first game with supporters cheering on his side.
Labbadia was appointed coach in April, when the league was still suspended. He had to wait till May 16 for his debut. His first nine league games were all played without spectators last season, before a limited number of Werder Bremen fans were allowed see visiting Hertha’s 4-1 win in the new season’s first round.
Bas Dost made it 2-0 with a header to Daichi Kamada’s free kick six minutes later, and Sebastian Rode grabbed Frankfurt’s third with a fine strike in off the far post in the 70th.
“Pauline’s story shows how important it is that as many people as possible register so that lives can be saved,” Hertha board member Paul Keuter said.
Hertha's Maximilian Mittelstaedt, left, and Frankfurt's Djibril Sow, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Frankfurt's Sebastian Rode, second right, scores his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Hertha lost at home to Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 in the Bundesliga on Friday, the first time fans were allowed to attend a soccer game in Berlin’s Olympiastadion since coronavirus restrictions began in March.
Hertha's Dodi Lukebakio lies on the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Labbadia was appointed coach in April, when the league was still suspended. He had to wait till May 16 for his debut. His first nine league games were all played without spectators last season, before a limited number of Werder Bremen fans were allowed see visiting Hertha’s 4-1 win in the new season’s first round.
Just 4,000 Hertha fans were allowed for Frankfurt’s visit, and they arrived full of optimism after another summer of rebuilding at the club.
But the visitors dominated from the start and took a deserved lead through André Silva’s penalty in the 30th minute, after the Portuguese forward was fouled by Hertha captain Dedryck Boyata.
Frankfurt head coach Adi Huetter, left, and Hertha's head coach Bruno Labbadia, right, leave the infield for the half-time break during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Bas Dost made it 2-0 with a header to Daichi Kamada’s free kick six minutes later, and Sebastian Rode grabbed Frankfurt’s third with a fine strike in off the far post in the 70th.
Martin Hinteregger’s own goal in the 76th was too little, too late, for Hertha.
Hertha’s players wore jerseys with “for Pauline” across them in an appeal to find stem cell donors for an eight-month-old girl with leukemia.
Frankfurt's Bas Dost, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
“Pauline’s story shows how important it is that as many people as possible register so that lives can be saved,” Hertha board member Paul Keuter said.
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Frankfurt's scorer Sebastian Rode and his teammates celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Hertha's Maximilian Mittelstaedt, left, and Frankfurt's Djibril Sow, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Frankfurt's Sebastian Rode, second right, scores his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn, pool)
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
