S. Stegemann
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90'
+ 5
HERTHA ALMOST NICK IT
With the last kick of the game, Hertha go within a whisker of a third league win under Jürgen Klinsmann. Piatek and Dilrosun set the wheels in motion on halfway. The ball finds Lukebakio, who spots the overlapping Mittelstädt. He aims low and hard for the far post, and watches the ball sail agonisingly wide with Nübel at full stretch. Hertha the better side, particularly in the second half. Not a bad result for them at all. They're now six points clear of the relegation zone, while Schalke stay sixth.
Full-time
90'
+ 4
LUKEBAKIO MENACE
Dodi Lukebakio breezes through the midfield, probably still in third gear. He tries to take on one man to many, though, and Schalke clear their lines. With a man either side, the pass appeared to be the better option. Opportunity missed.
90'
+ 2
Substitution
90'
+ 1
TODIBO DEBUT
A first Schalke appearance for Barcelona loanee Jean-Clair Todibo. McKennie makes way after a typically industrious showing. Rabbi Matondo is also on for the visitors.
90'
Substitution
87'
GREGORITSCH HEADER
Was this the chance?! Oczipka hangs a ball up from the left, Gregortisch stoops to head goalwards but with Jarstein rooted to the spot the ball goes wide. So, so close to a dramatic winner. Will we get one in the closing stages?
81'
PIATEK AGAIN
Not a bad introduction in a difficult game for the ex-AC Milan forward. He drives forward and, despite limited options, digs out an effort that doesn't miss the top corner by much at all. No one expected him to take that on. He's already had more shots than any of his Hertha teammates.
78'
FRESH SCHALKE LEGS
That's a positive Schalke change as we head into the final 10. Schöpf should offer some much-needed width. Serdar is spent!
78'
Substitution
76'
MAIER LETS RIP
Dilrosun teases the Schalke defence with a Robben-esque run in off the right flank. There's a wall of black and blue, so the Dutchman squares for Arne Maier. Wide again! Hertha want this bad!
74'
PIATEK HEADER
Hertha playing with much more purpose now. They win a corner that Mittelstädt whips onto the head of Piatek - wide! Nübel was beaten...
72'
CYNICAL
Bastian Oczipka will have to watch his step after that booking. Once Lukebakio put on the afterburners, foul play was the only thing that was going to stop the Belgian freighttrain. Another indicent like that, and Schalke's left-back could be off..
68'
PIATEK MEET MCKENNIE
A free-kick is worked to Piatek. He only has one thing on his mind, but his fierce shot finds the toe of McKennie and goes behind for a corner. The Pole has certainly lifted the mood inside the Olympic Stadium...
64'
PIATEK IS ON
The decibel levels rise as Hertha's new No.7 enters the fray. He scored four goals on his debut for former club Genoa in the Coppa Italia, and found the net in each of his first seven Serie A games. Can he repeat the trick? Arne Maier's also on. Wolf and Grujic make way.
63'
Substitution
63'
Substitution
62'
PIATEK ALERT
Hertha's new man is warming up. The Poland international striker will be on imminently, by the looks of things...
59'
CHANCES!
Aye, aye, aye - it's all going on now. Nastasic goes up for a corner with Jarstein, but is penalised for getting a bit too much man. Hertha come again with Dilrosun - he finds Lukebakio, whose shot is charged down. Schalke break, Boyata doesn't look up as he plays a ball back to Jarstein and instead finds Raman. The angle's tight - he makes it tighter still - and can only find the palms of the Hertha stopper. More of the same, please...
53'
RUN, DILRO, RUN
Javairo Dilrosun bursts forward with the ball at his feet. He appears to have the edge on Kabak, who uses all of his strength to slow the Dutchman down and - intended or not - bring him to ground. Hertha want a penalty, but the referee is unmoved.
49'
OCZIPKA OFF TARGET
Bastian Oczipka comes in off the flank into a central area, but can't direct his effort on target. Schalke have a spring in their step...
47'
SCHALKE START BRIGHTLY
Serdar slips a ball into the path of Gregortisch, but Rune Jarstein reads it well and is off his line to claim. Might have been offside, anyway.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 3
ALL SQUARE
McKennie just went as close as anyone to opening the scoring. He struck Gregoritsch's lay-off first time; a wicked deflection took it away from Jarstein and over. Chances otherwise at a premium, with Wolf's earlier volley perhaps the best of them.
Half-time
43'
MCKENNIE WATCH
USA international Weston McKennie is quietly going about his business to great effect - which might explain why Hertha aren't having much joy in the final third. The Texan, who is playing with a shoulder splint following a dislocation late last year, has won 83 per cent of his attempted challenges and found a man with 84 per cent of his attempted passes.
33'
WAYWARD
Maxi Mittelstädt's inswinging free-kick is half cleared by Weston McKennie. Dodi Lukebakio takes it on first time, but catches it with his shin and the ball drifts harmlessly out wide for a goal-kick
27'
WOLF CHANCE!
A ball comes over to the back post and drops onto the foot of Marius Wolf. Jürgen Klinsmann rises in anticipation, but the Borussia Dortmund loanee's volley whistles past the far post.
20'
SERDAR POWER
Schalke top scorer Suat Serdar drives towards the edge of the Hertha area with real purpose. He has options either side, but can't resist a pop at goal as the home players back off. It's on his weaker left foot, though, and always rising.
19'
HARIT THREAT
Amine Harit works his way into the Hertha penalty area, swarmed by blue-and-white shirts. The Schalke talisman cuts the ball back to Bentio Raman, whose first-time effort is blocked. Promising stuff from the visitors.
17'
SERDAR POWER
Schalke top scorer Suat Serdar drives towards the edge of the Hertha area with real purpose. He has options either side, but can't resist a pop at goal as the home players back off. It's on his weaker left foot, though, and always rising.
11'
HARIT THREAT
Amine Harit works his way into the Hertha penalty area, swarmed by blue-and-white shirts. The Schalke talisman cuts the ball back to Bentio Raman, whose first-time effort is blocked. Promising stuff from the visitors.
2'
PROMISING FROM SCHALKE
The teams are still settling down here but there's a glimmer of hope for Schalke as Gregoritsch peels away from the last defender to latch on to a long ball over the top. He can't quite bring it under control quickly enough though, and Hertha recover to clear the danger before he can get a shot off.
1'
HERE WE GO!
Schalke get the ball rolling at the Olympiastadion in Berlin!
Kick-off!
ADVANTAGE SCHALKE
The Royal Blues have won almost half of the Bundesliga meetings between these teams, taking maximum points from 35 of the 71 matches played to date, including a 3-0 victory earlier this season. Hertha have triumphed 24 times, with 12 draws.
HERTHA TEAM NEWS
Marquee winter recruit Piatek starts on the bench here following his transfer from AC Milan. If the striker takes to the pitch he'll be Hertha's 28th Bundesliga players this season - more than any other side. Otherwise, head coach Jürgen Klinsmann only makes one change to the team that surprisingly beat Wolfsburg last week, with Dedryck Boyata coming into defence for Niklas Stark.
SCHALKE TEAM NEWS
Alexander Nübel returns in goal for the visitors, replacing the injured Markus Schubert and having completed his four-match ban following his sending off against Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 15. Meanwhile, Jonjoe Kenny has succumbed to illness so is replaced at right-back by Weston McKennie, while Benito Raman is drafted back into the side at the expense of Rabbi Matondo.
HERTHA STARTING XI:
Jarstein – Klünter, Boyata, Torunarigha, Mittelstädt – Skjelbred (c), Ascacibar – Wolf, Grujic, Dilrosun – Lukebakio
HERTHA SUBS:
Kraft, Pekarik, Stark, Piatek, Esswein, Köpke, Ibisevic, Plattenhardt, Maier
SCHALKE STARTING XI:
Nübel – Caligiuri, Kabak, Nastasic, Oczipka – McKennie Mascarell (c), Serdar – Harit – Gregoritsch, Raman
SCHALKE SUBS:
Langer, Miranda, Matondo, Burgstaller, Todibo, Schöpf, Becker, Mercan
HELLO AND WELCOME!
Matchday 20 is upon us and we're in store for a cracker as Hertha Berlin - who've had an active winter transfer window (new signing Krzysztof Piatek is on the bench) - host Schalke in the opening fixture of the weekend.
Welcome along to the match centre for the game Hertha BSC vs. Schalke from matchday 20 of the 2019/20 Bundesliga season at the Olympiastadion. Check back here for full information on the match.