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Hertha win to move out of German drop zone

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Nemanja Radonjic (r) rejoices with Matheus Cunha after scoring against Freiburg.
Camera IconNemanja Radonjic (r) rejoices with Matheus Cunha after scoring against Freiburg. Credit: AP

Hertha Berlin have climbed out of the Bundesliga's relegation zone with a 3-0 win over visiting Freiburg in their second game following a coronavirus outbreak at the club.

Krzysztof Piatek and Peter Pekarik's first-half goals and a late strike from Nemanja Radonjic were enough for Hertha to move ahead of Werder Bremen and Arminia Bielefeld on goal difference having played a game less.

Hertha were facing a punishing schedule of six games in 20 days when they returned from a two-week quarantine period by playing away at Mainz on Monday.

But four points from two games have eased the ambitious club's relegation worries ahead of Sunday's visit from Bielefeld.

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"The team is growing together. You have to work very hard and do a lot for that," Hertha coach Pal Dardai said of his team's quest to stay up.

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"It seems as if the egos are being put to the side. Everyone is digging in, just like a family. And that's how we'll do it."

Hertha's rivals have three games remaining. Hertha and already-relegated Schalke have four, including their postponed game next Wednesday.

Piatek scored from a difficult angle on a rebound in the 13th minute after Freiburg goalkeeper Florian Muller stopped Jordan Torunarigha's initial effort from distance. Radonjic then crossed for Pekarik to make it 2-0 in the 22nd.

The Serbian winger sealed the win with his first Bundesliga goal - a fine individual effort to go past a defender after a long run - in the 85th.

The only bad news for Hertha was an injury to French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.

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