BERLIN: Striker Krzysztof Piatek scored twice in three minutes as Hertha Berlin came from a goal down to beat 10-man Union Berlin 3-1 in the capital’s Bundesliga derby on Friday and earn their first home win of the season.

The Poland forward scored in the 74th and 77th minutes to snap Union’s eight-game unbeaten run, with the visitors down to 10 from the 23rd minute after Robert Andrich’s straight red card for a reckless high kick that caught Lucas Tousart in the neck.

Three minutes earlier, Union’s Taiwo Awoniyi had slotted in for a deserved lead, latching onto a superb Marcus Ingvartsen pass in the 20th minute.

With Andrich’s dismissal, however, the game shifted in Hertha’s favour and six minutes after the restart Peter Pekarik scored on the rebound to level.

Piatek, who came on in the second half, then got the ball inside the box, pivoted and fired in to put the hosts in front with a slightly deflected effort.

He added another from an almost identical position after being left with too much space to connect with a Javairo Dilrosun cross.

Hertha’s win lifted them away from the relegation zone and into 11th place on 11 points, while Union stay sixth on 16.

Leaders Bayern Munich, on 22 points, were hosting second-placed RB Leipzig (20) on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2020