Javairo Dilrosun and Krzysztof Piatek each scored as Hertha Berlin continued their unbeaten run under new coach Bruno Labbadia and climbed to ninth in the Bundesliga table after beating Augsburg 2-0 at an empty Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Dilrosun scored midway through the first half and Piatek added a second in stoppage time at the end of the game to see Hertha pick up a 10th point out of a possible 12 since the resumption of the German league after the coronavirus lockdown.
Defeat left Augsburg precariously placed just four points above the relegation places. They have won only one of their last nine league outings.
Young Dutch attacker Dilrosun proved quickest to a rebound after Augsburg goalkeeper Andreas Luthe had stopped a rasping shot from Peter Pekarik in the 23rd minute.
The 21-year-old, signed from Manchester City two years ago, showed quick feet to flick the ball away from two defenders and then snap up the loose ball and thrash it home from close range.
Hertha had threatened earlier through veteran captain Vedad Ibisevic, who had two efforts stopped by Luthe as the home side dominated the first half.
Yet Augsburg, who had sought to freshen up their lineup with six changes from their midweek draw with Paderborn, went close to equalising straight after the break through Noah Sarenren Bazee.
He cut in from the right wing and saw his initial effort, from a tight angle, spilled by Hertha’s goalkeeper Rune Jarstein. He followed up to shoot again and was denied by a sharp reflex save.
Augsburg substitute Florian Niederlechner headed narrowly wide on the hour mark as they kept pressing for an equaliser but both sides looked tired in the final stages from the exertions of three matches in the space of a week.
Augsburg went close to a late equaliser when Marco Richter struck a swerving shot from outside the penalty area against the crossbar in the 89th minute.
Yet they lost the ball in midfield as the match moved into stoppage time, allowing Piatek to run away and score, ensuring the home victory.
Hertha were in 13th place when the season resumed in mid-May but have hit a purple patch since the much-travelled Labbadia took over as their fourth coach of a topsy-turvy season.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Toby Davis)
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