Hertha BSC Flex Depth and Firepower in 7-2 DFB-Pokal Rout

DFB-Pokal – First Round
Hertha BSC Berlin 7 – 2 SV Wehen Wiesbaden
August 6, 2023 – Olympiastadion, Berlin

By Georg Kevin Paquet

Hertha BSC Berlin stormed into the second round of the DFB-Pokal with a dominant 7-2 victory over SV Wehen Wiesbaden at home. Sparked by a standout midfield performance from Kai Havertz and a brace from both Pablo Gavi and Florian Wirtz, Hertha’s class and cutting edge overwhelmed the visitors despite a brief second-half scare.

The win extends Hertha’s perfect start to the 2023–24 campaign under coach Georg Kevin Paquet, with the squad’s chemistry and attacking fluidity looking increasingly dangerous with each passing fixture.

First Half: Gavi and the Havertz Engine

The tone was set early.

In the 13th minute, Havertz picked up the ball in a half-space and threaded a delightful pass into the stride of Gavi. The Spaniard sold the goalkeeper with a quick body feint before calmly slotting it home—Wiesbaden’s keeper completely fooled, and Hertha 1-0 up.

The dominance continued as Wirtz, who was relentless on the left wing, floated inside near halftime and slid a perfectly weighted ball to Gavi, who finished across goal to make it 2-0 heading into the break. Toni Kroos and Declan Rice pulled the strings from deep, while Hakimi and Davies bombed forward all half.

Second Half: Mayhem, Momentary Madness, Then Mayhem Again

The second half opened with the kind of football Hertha fans dream about.

In the 56th minute, Serge Gnabry led a textbook counter, slicing the defense wide open before laying it off to Højlund, who smashed it in off the far post. Two minutes later, a Havertz corner found Nico Schlotterbeck rising highest—power header, 4-0.

But complacency crept in.

Wiesbaden’s Shawn Barry Froese pulled one back in the 62nd with a thunderous strike from outside the box after Hertha failed to clear. Minutes later, he struck again—this time dinking Donnarumma with a cool chip after a defensive lapse. 4-2. The visitors suddenly smelled blood.

Wiesbaden surged and forced three corners in two minutes. One header was cleared off the line by Rice, and another thudded off the crossbar. Hertha bent—but didn’t break.

Then came the kill switch.

In the 75th, Havertz split the defense with a laser-guided ball through the middle. Mathys Tel, fresh off the bench, timed his run to perfection and slotted past the keeper. That made it 5-2, and broke Wiesbaden’s momentum.

Wirtz added a late brace to seal the demolition. The first came in the 80th off another Havertz assist, with the second—his second of the night and Hertha’s seventh—capped off a clinical move in the 85th, again courtesy of the Havertz-Wirtz connection.

Key Performers & Tactical Notes

• Kai Havertz: Four assists. Played like the glue, the engine, and the architect all in one.
• Pablo Gavi: Two goals, tireless pressing, and sublime off-ball movement.
• Florian Wirtz: Winger stats, playmaker mentality. A terror on the left.
• Schlotterbeck: Dominated defensively and earned his reward with a set-piece goal.
• Rice & Kroos: Balanced the match beautifully from deep. Controlled transitions.
• Gnabry: No goal, but electric in space. Key man in the third goal.
• Tel: Super-sub. Made his case for more minutes.

Subs:

• Tel for Højlund (68′)
• Sánchez for Gnabry (72′)
• Kempf for Davies (76′) to stabilize after the scare.

Next Match

📅 August 13, 2023
🏆 2. Bundesliga – Matchday 3
🆚 SpVgg Greuther Fürth
📍 Olympiastadion Berlin

With the DFB-Pokal hurdle cleared emphatically, attention shifts back to the league. Hertha return home again next week, facing a Fürth side eager to make a statement. With the form Hertha are in, though, it’s starting to feel like every match is theirs to lose.