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Leverkusen (dpa) - This draw brings Hertha BSC to Berlin as an encouragement for the derby.
"It was the first point against a top team," said coach Bruna Labbadia after the 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on matchday 9 of the Bundesliga.
While the capital city club was still empty-handed in the courageous away appearances at FC Bayern and Leipzig, "we have now been rewarded with a partial success," said Labbadia.
«We like to take the zero with us.
We defended better than we did last, ”said Arne Friedrich, commenting on the draw, which was mainly defensively disciplined.
“We didn't play our best game up front.
But one point in Leverkusen is okay, ”added the Hertha sports director.
Before the explosive city duel against their current city rivals 1. FC Union, Hertha continued to occupy a disappointing 13th place in the table with eight points, but at least proved their strength away from home.
The "old lady" took seven of her eight counters away from home.
"We didn't allow one of the best-in-form teams in the league," said Labbadia as a positive finding.
"What we were missing a bit is the final penetration in the front area."
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Leverkusen missed the chance to become the number one Bayern hunter.
After five wins in a row, the Werkself gave up points again and remained third in the table.
However, coach Peter Bosz had to replace nine well-known professionals on Sunday.
Lucas Alario (knee problems), Karim Bellarabi (thigh) and Nadiem Amiri (sick) were canceled at short notice.
Labbadia, who made the leap to Bundesliga coach in Leverkusen in 2008, trusted the same team as in the previous week in the old place of work.
Although they lost 5-2 to Borussia Dortmund, they were apparently trying to make amends in the BayArena.
The Berliners made a slightly better impression in the first 20 minutes of the not very entertaining game.
"What was missing that we would have dealt with all the ball conquests more consistently," said Labbadia.
Bayer had the first significant chance of scoring when Kerem Demirbay simply hit it from almost 30 meters after Niklas Stark lost the ball and forced Hertha goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow to make a good save (33rd).
«I would have preferred to win the game.
But if you draw a line under it, it's earned.
It was a stable performance, ”said the keeper.
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After the change, the hosts took even more command.
Hertha was now too low and almost only defended.
Still very solid.
It took free kicks for the hosts to be at least halfway dangerous again by Demirbay (55th / 67th).
Hertha was unable to concentrate on the counter-opportunities that arose and thus remained almost the entire second half without any real offensive action.
Significant: In the 70th minute, Labbadia replaced both strikers.
In stoppage time, Leverkusen's Lars Bender narrowly missed the Berlin goal with a header after a free kick.
Information about the game at bundesliga.de