1. FC Kaiserslautern players celebrate in Berlin. The Red Devils beat Hertha BSC 1-0 on Saturday night. (Facebook/1. FC Kaiserslautern)
1. FC Kaiserslautern won its fourth game in a row, beating Hertha BSC in Berlin Saturday night 1-0.
And for the second time in two weeks, it was defender Luca Sirch who scored the game-winner for the Red Devils.
FCK started strong at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, with two scoring chances in the opening minutes, but Filip Kaloc could not convert on a header in the 4th minute and Ragnar Ache missed after taking a long pass from Marlon Ritter.
Hertha woke up and took control of the rest of the first half but could not score against the Kaiserslautern defense. But Ache also failed to score in the half’s final minutes.
Berlin had the first scoring chances of the second half, but it was the Red Devils that scored.
Sirch took a pass from Ritter in the 57th minute and scored with a right footer from more than 20 yards out.
Hertha tested Kaiserslautern several times in the remaining minutes, but the defense, backed by a strong keeper in Julian Krahl, held on for the victory.
The win puts the Red Devils in second place behind Hamburg, tied on points with 38 each. Only Cologne, which plays Sunday afternoon against Schalke, can overtake the pair.
Kaiserslautern has two tough games coming up. The Red Devils host Hannover on Saturday at Fritz Walter Stadium, before heading to Hamburg for a Friday evening game against HSV on Feb. 21.
February 9, 2025 9:52
