Knoche was afforded too much room to meet Bastian Oczipka's free-kick completely unmarked and tuck it in from close range, putting them back in command of a pulsating Stadtderby. Serdar did manage to get his goal deep into stoppage time, but it was too little too late for Hertha to avoid elimination. Match stats Union reached the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup for the second season running, having never been so far since losing the 2001 final to Schalke; Bayer Leverkusen ended their journey in the last eight last year.
g. (50'), 1-2 Khedira o. (54'), 1-3 Knoche (assist: Oczipka) 55', 2-3 Serdar (90'+4) After a bright start which included three shots inside the opening 60 seconds, Union took the lead in the 11th minute when Max Kruse's cross was hooked in on the volley by Andreas Voglsammer, who managed to coordinate himself for the most precise of finishes despite having his back to goal and the ball escaping him on an opposite trajectory. Union looked good value for their lead and thought they were going to have an opportunity to expand it when Voglsammer's cross struck the arm of Niklas Stark and referee Deniz Aytekin awarded a penalty.
PENALTY TO UNION! The visitors are awarded a penalty after Voglsammer's cross from the right was handled inside the box by Stark. FIRST HINT OF A THREAT FROM HERTHA The home side work the ball forward well, eventually playing it to the right to the onrushing Richter. He gets into the box and cuts inside onto his left foot to get a shot away, but is blocked just as he's about to pull the trigger.
PACE UP TOP With Hertha defenders tiring as we enter the final 15 minutes, the introduction of the pacy Becker makes a lot of sense as Union try to exploit any spaces on the counter-attack to finish the game off once and for all. FRESH LEGS FOR UNION Union coach Urs Fischer brings on Haraguchi and Behrens for the final 30 minutes or so as the visitors bid to press home their advantage with another goal that would surely put the tie to bed.
Still, it's Hertha's most promising attack so far, so will offer some encouragement to the fans. RIGHT WING Union are having plenty of joy down their right flank, with Voglsammer often drifting wide to drag defenders out of position. Both he and Ryerson are getting forward well and pinning Mittelstädt back. UNION ON TOP Hertha have scarcely been in Union's half so far, let alone have a shot at goal. It's all been pretty one-sided so far. ÖZTUNALI WAYWARD The Union midfielder takes aim from the edge of the boxes but his shot flies well off target. FIRST CARD Serdar is booked for an overzealous tackle on Baumgartl. UNION LEAD! The guests attack down the left and a high cross is lofted into the box towards the back post. It looks like it might be a touch too long for Voglsammer, but the forward stretches for it a guides a brilliant volley back across goal and into the corner, leaving Schwolow wrong-footed.
The early signs were positive when Vladimir Darida squandered an excellent opportunity to level, but instead, it was Union who doubled their lead with their first attack. Levin Öztunali broke free down the right and his cross was turned into his own goal by Stark, under pressure from Voglsammer. Another own goal brought Hertha back into the game, with Serdar's cut-back deflecting in from a tight angle off Rani Khedira. Serdar took the ball straight back to the centre spot, eager to get the game back underway, though Union were in a rush of their own – to restore their two-goal advantage, which they managed within a minute.
Game on! UNION EXTEND THEIR LEAD! What a costly miss that has turned out to be from Darida! Öztunali turns on the after burners to surge away from his marker on the right. He gets to the byline and smashes the ball across the face of goal, looking for Voglsammer at the back post, but it ricochets off the toe of Hertha defender Stark and goes into the net! NICE FROM BELFODIL The Hertha striker skips away from his marker on the right, gets to the byline and cuts the ball back for Darida, whose first-time shot spoons up off his boot and goes harmlessly over.
SERDAR HITS THE SIDE NETTING Mittelstädt's corner from the right is flicked on at the near post and reaches Serdar, arriving at the back post. He beats his marker to head the ball goalwards, but can only find the side netting from a tight angle. DECISION OVERTURNED After a VAR review, the penalty decision is overturned due to a previous offside in the build-up.
1. FC Union Berlin vs Hertha | 06.08.2022 - Sky Sports
JUST WIDE FROM MITTELSTÄDT The Hertha defender jinks and drops a shoulder on the right-hand side, to open up a pocket of space to shoot from the edge of the box. He catches it well and it's curling towards the far post, but ends up whizzing just wide of the upright. HERTHA PUSHING The action is concentrated almost entirely in Union's half now as Hertha throw everyone forward. Their visitors are standing firm though, Luthe's goal very well guarded. BRILLIANT SAVE FROM LUTHE! A loose ball in the Union box falls kindly for Serdar and suddenly he's one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He quickly gets a shot away but Luthe produces a big save to keep it out! WIDE FROM TOUSART Hertha's French midfielder drives forward towards the edge of the Union box and gets a shot away, but his effort is always just curling wide of the far post.
Hertha BSC vs 1. FC Union Berlin live score, H2H and lineups