Only Hertha had scored fewer Bundesliga goals in their first four games this season than Augsburg coming into this fixture, and the lack of cutting edge was clear to see here. The best chance of the opening 20 minutes came when Marc-Oliver Kempf headed Marvin Plattenhardt’s free-kick wide from close range while off-balance, with the exasperated Filip Uremović standing just behind his defensive partner and in a better position to nod home.
Uremović was soon involved in a moment of controversy as he wrestled Ermedin Demirović to the ground after the striker had been played in and looked to get a shot off. However, to Uremović’s relief and Augsburg’s outrage, referee Harm Osmers only brandished a yellow card. Enrico Maaβen’s men continued to grow into the contest and debutant Mërgim Berisha struck the base of Oliver Christensen’s right-hand post after beating Uremović for pace, while Kempf made a vital sliding clearance to repel a dangerous Berisha delivery shortly afterwards. At the other end, Chidera Ejuke jinked into the box only to curl just wide of the far post, but this was a match still waiting to ignite.
The breakthrough came on 57 minutes when Ejuke laid off to Plattenhardt on the left and the 30-year-old, making his 250th Bundesliga appearance, whipped in a sumptuous cross that was met by Dodi Lukébakio, whose header bounced down into the ground and up into the roof of Rafał Gikiewicz’s net. Augsburg looked to respond immediately, but substitute Ruben Vargas’ cross flashed across the face of goal. Christensen made a superb save in stoppage time to preserve the lead and a clinical counter-attack saw Davie Selke sprint clear and square for Marco Richter, who kept his cool to slot in for an emotional moment after his recent recovery from the removal of a testicular tumour.
Victory marked Hertha’s third straight win at Augsburg and their first regular-season triumph on the road since beating the Fuggerstädter in April. In the process, they have leapfrogged their opponents into 13th, pushing the hosts down to 16th.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin)