Hertha BSC secured a 2-0 victory over Augsburg in front of a haunting, empty Olympiastadion on Saturday.
Hertha went ahead in the first half through Javairo Dilrosun. The team found itself on the back foot for much of the second half as Augsburg pushed constantly for an equalizer, but Krzysztof Piatek sealed the win with a goal on the counterattack in stoppage time.
Don't sleep on @HerthaBSC_EN
Krzysztof Piątek scores AGAIN to earn them their 3rd win in 4 games since the @Bundesliga_EN restart pic.twitter.com/nLTTu1ljjd— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2020
Hertha has now taken 10 points out of a possible 12 under new manager Bruno Labbadia, appointed during the recent shutdown. Labbadia is Hertha's fourth manager of the season in what has been a turbulent campaign for the capital side.
Jürgen Klinsmann took over at the helm from former youth-team coach Ante Covic in November, before a shock departure in February after only 10 games in charge. Interim coach Alexander Nouri was unable to turn the team's fortunes around and Hertha used the shutdown to its advantage, securing Labbadia's services earlier than expected. Instead of waiting until summer to bring in a replacement, the extended layoff allowed the board to get its man ahead of time.
After Saturday's win, Hertha is now in the midst of one its strongest spells of the season. Three wins and a draw against high-flying Leipzig since the restart have brought Hertha back up to ninth place for the first time since Match Day 1.
Labbadia's team has looked sharp in attack lately, thanks in part to new signings Piatek ($26.4 million from AC Milan) and Matheus Cunha ($19.8 million from RB Leipzig). Cunha, who had not scored all season in 10 appearances for Leipzig, has electrified the Hertha attack with four goals and an assist in five games. After struggling to find form at Milan, Piatek has scored in consecutive games for the first time all season.
There has also been a new-found defensive stability in the early days of Labbadia's tenure. Hertha had shipped 19 goals in the 10 games prior to his appointment, but Jordan Torunarigha and Dedryck Boyata have been sturdy and reliable lately, keeping clean sheets against Hoffenheim, Union and Augsburg.
Labbadia's side will look to maintain its good form as Hertha travels to Dortmund on Saturday, June 6, for a 12:30 p.m. EST kickoff.
