Hertha beats Hoffenheim 1-0 to reclaim 4th in Bundesliga
BERLIN (AP) - An own goal was enough for Hertha Berlin to reclaim fourth place in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 home win Sunday over Hoffenheim that left the visiting side bottom.
"For a coach, 1-0 is always nice, but it's not so nice for the spectators," Hertha coach Pal Dardai said.
As at all the weekend's Bundesliga games, a minute's silence was held for victims of the Paris attacks, while a French flag was displayed in tribute.
Heavy snowfall forced the game's first change in the 14th minute when the white ball was switched for a red one.
On a snow-covered pitch, Hertha scored on the half-hour mark when Eugen Polanski's attempted clearance from Marvin Plattenhardt's free kick ended up going in off the post. The goal-line technology confirmed that the ball had crossed before Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann scooped it away.
Eduardo Vargas came closest for Hoffenheim when he headed wide from a corner late on.
"It was a very difficult game," Dardai said of the weather. "There were few goal chances, one goal."
Security measures were increased for the game following the attacks in Paris and the cancellation of Germany's friendly game with the Netherlands in Hannover on Tuesday.
"It's a special matchday," Hertha president Werner Gegenbauer. "A matchday on which we all want to and will show compassion and sadness, but also courage, strength and confidence."
Later Sunday, Ingolstadt came from behind to defeat fellow promoted side Darmstadt 3-1 and climb to eighth.
Darmstadt captain Aytac Sulu headed the visitors in front from a corner in the ninth minute but Ingolstadt turned the game around with two goals in as many minutes.
Robert Bauer equalized with a brilliant strike in off the underside of the crossbar in the 58th, before Moritz Hartmann scored a penalty after Junior Diaz brought down Pascal Gross.
Hartmann sealed the result in the 88th with a diving header to Alfredo Morales' cross.
Kickoff had been delayed by 10 minutes due to the increased security measures.