2. Bundesliga Topspiel: Hertha hang on to escape with all three points | OneFootball

Stefan Leitl’s side came up trumps again with a perfectly executed game plan, leaving the Fritz-Walter-Stadion victorious as Luca Schuler’s first-half strike proved decisive, with goalkeeper Tjark Ernst and defender Toni Leistner producing heroic performances. 

Kaiserslautern began brightly, dictating possession and pressing high, but struggled to break through Hertha’s compact low block. Then, against the run of play, the visitors struck first. In the 20th minute, Marten Winkler’s teasing cross found former FCK academy player Luca Schuler, who took his time before calmly finishing low past Julian Krahl to make it 1-0.

Despite controlling the ball for long spells, Kaiserslautern failed to translate their dominance into clear chances. Hertha, meanwhile, looked dangerous in transition and nearly doubled their lead before the interval when 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn rattled the post. Stefan Leitl’s tactical setup worked to perfection as his side took a narrow lead into the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern - Kaiserslautern hoarded possession, while Hertha remained compact and threatening on the counter. Fabian Reese came close to adding a second, only to be denied by Krahl from close range. From there, Tjark Ernst took centre stage, producing a string of outstanding saves to preserve his side’s lead.

The hosts’ best chance came in the 70th minute when Naatan Skyttä looked certain to equalise, only for Toni Leistner to produce a stunning goal-line clearance that epitomised Hertha’s defensive resolve.

As the clock ticked down, the Betze erupted when Ivan Prtajin appeared to have finally levelled the match - but VAR intervened, ruling the goal out for offside and leaving Hertha’s players and fans alike breathing a collective sigh of relief.

At full time, Hertha held firm to claim their third consecutive league victory, moving within three points of the promotion places and building serious momentum. For Kaiserslautern, it was a first league defeat since September - a frustrating night where effort and possession went unrewarded, leaving them in seventh place.