2. Bundesliga Topspiel: Ten-man Hertha snatch all three points in fierce encounter with Dresden | OneFootball

In a dramatic contest marked by crowd trouble, a lengthy stoppage, a red card and a missed penalty, Hertha defied the odds to claim all three points, with Marten Winkler’s 80th-minute strike proving decisive.

With both sets of supporters generating a raucous atmosphere at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, the stage was set for a fiery encounter - and it duly delivered. Hertha fashioned the first opening after capitalising on a Dresden error, allowing Fabian Reese to surge towards goal. However, the Hertha captain opted to go alone rather than pick out a teammate, and his effort was comfortably gathered by Tim Schreiber.

The visitors maintained early pressure, but their momentum was disrupted when the match was temporarily suspended due to crowd disturbances. Once order was restored, Hertha resumed control, though clear-cut chances remained at a premium as the sides went into the break goalless.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Hertha marginally on top but struggling to create. Dresden then produced the game’s first major opportunity on 64 minutes, as Kofi Amoako delivered an inviting cross to the back post, only for Ben Bobzien to miscue his finish and send it wide.

Moments later, the contest swung decisively in Dresden’s favour when Hertha were reduced to ten men. Josip Brekalo lunged into a studs-up challenge on Robert Wagner, leaving the referee with little option but to issue a straight red card.

Thomas Stamm’s side seized the initiative and were handed a golden chance to take the lead with 15 minutes remaining. Following a VAR review, Paul Seguin was penalised for handball, presenting Vincent Vermeij with a spot-kick opportunity. However, Tjark Ernst rose to the occasion, producing a strong save to keep the scores level.

Despite being under sustained pressure, Hertha struck against the run of play with ten minutes to go. Reese delivered a dangerous ball into the area, and Marten Winkler timed his run to perfection, guiding a header past Schreiber to give the visitors a scarcely believable lead.

Stefan Leitl’s side then dug deep, defending resolutely as Dresden threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. A late penalty appeal and six minutes of added time ultimately came to nothing, as Hertha held firm to secure a vital victory.

The result extends Hertha’s unbeaten run to five matches and keeps their promotion hopes alive, as they move to within four points of the top three. Dresden, meanwhile, suffer a second consecutive defeat and remain 14th, with the sides below them still to play.