Berlin (AFP)

Hertha won the Berlin derby against the Union (4-0) hands down on Friday in the empty spectator stadium in the German capital, in an advanced match on matchday 27 of the Bundesliga.

Vedad Ibisevic (51st), Dodi Lukebakio (52nd), Matheus Cunha (61st) and Dedryck Boyata (77th) offered a brilliant revenge to Hertha, beaten 1-0 first leg, in the very first first division derby between the two clubs. The match gave rise to scuffles between supporters of both sides.

As expected, a minute of silence was observed before the kick-off in tribute to the dead of the coronavirus, more than 8,000 in Germany and at least 335,000 worldwide. Players from both teams wore black armbands. The same mourning protocol will be observed this weekend on all grounds in the Bundesliga, as well as on the next day Tuesday and Wednesday.

If the outward journey had suffered from an overflow of emotions, the return did not totally lack soul, despite the closed door. The Hertha got the best opportunities from Lukebakio (18th, 47th), Cunha (28th, 39th). But it was veteran Vedad Ibisevic, 35, who unlocked the counter for a good recovery in the area in the 51st minute. Lukebakio imitated him in the next minute, knocking out Union

- Zidane's "coup de boule" -

This is the moment that the coronavirus has been waiting to recall its agonizing presence. As their teammates rushed over to kiss them, the two scorers had the same attitude one minute apart: arms stretched out in front of them, they signaled to the others to keep their distance ... But the frustration of not not being able to celebrate freely was read on the faces and in the gestures.

Ibisevic touched the fists of his teammates and struck a (sympathetic) head on the chest of one of them. A nod, voluntary or not, to the history of the Olympic stadium in Berlin, where Zinedine Zidane gave another legendary head shot one evening in July 2006, in the chest of the Italian Marco Materazzi, in the final of the Mondial-2006.

The Hertha had come under fire from critics last week when some of his players had celebrated a goal by contacts too close. The German Football League, which knows that the resumption of the championship is hanging by a thread, requires from clubs and players an exemplary attitude in terms of compliance with health regulations.

Cunha and Boyata spiked the bill, allowing the Hertha to temporarily climb back to 10th position.

For the Union, however, the situation can quickly become worrying. Beaten last week at home by Bayern Munich (2-0), the promoted has conceded six goals without making a single one since the resumption of the Bundesliga and will have to avoid at all costs a negative spiral which would make him plunge again towards the zone red.

After this defeat, the East Berlin club, which played in the first division of the Communist GDR, is provisionally 12th with seven points ahead of the first relegation, but the other teams play on Saturday and Sunday.

The leader Munich receives Frankfurt (Saturday at 6.30 p.m.) and his runner-up Dortmund moves to Wolfsburg (3.30 p.m.).

© 2020 AFP