Nottingham Forest continued their pre-season preparations this evening on a warm evening at the Pirelli Stadium against Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin.
Steve Cooper named a strong starting XI which included a first appearance in the Garibaldi for Harry Toffolo who signed earlier today from Huddersfield Town. The opposition also fielded an experienced side from the off, including German international Marvin Plattenhardt and Polish talisman Krzysztof Piatek, formerly of AC Milan.
Forest started the game brightly and created the first opening when Neco Williams picked up the ball on the right-hand side and fired a low cross into the box that was met by Taiwo Awoniyi with his back to goal, he turned neatly before firing his shot straight at Rune Jarstein in the Hertha net.
The Reds took the lead inside ten minutes when Williams again found himself in space out on the wide right. He curled a delightful left-footed cross towards the back post that was met by the head of a rising Scott McKenna who was able to head the ball across the face of goal before being tucked home by Lyle Taylor.
The lead was doubled in the twentieth minute when a ball over the top was met by Awoniyi at full pace, he looked to control the ball before being greeted by keeper Jarstein, who looked to make a routine pickup. However, he bundled the ball out of the area and to the feet of Taylor, who drove the ball into an empty net from a tight angle for his second of the evening.
Hertha created their first real opportunity of the evening when teenager Derry Scherant glided into the area. His right-footed effort seemed destined to nestle into the top corner of the net if not for Dean Henderson’s acrobatics which were enough to tip the ball over the crossbar, to a rapturous applause from the Forest faithful behind the goal.
Scherant was able to pull one back for the opposition on the stroke of half time when he rose to meet the in swinging free kick of Marvin Plattenhardt at the back post and confidently headed home past Henderson from close range.
Half Time: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Hertha Berlin
Our German opposition made nine changes at the break including the introduction of Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Forest started brightly again in the second half, albeit the first 15 minutes remained largely uneventful at either end of the pitch.
On the hour mark The Reds changed their entire side with the exception of Henderson who remained in goal, within seconds of the restart he was called into action once more as he tipped Scherant’s headed effort around the post and out for a corner.
Forest continued to play some encouraging football throughout the second half although failed to test Jarstein as regularly as the opening 45 minutes.
In the 82nd minute of the match, Hertha found themselves with a wonderful chance to draw level when the ball ricocheted around the Forest six-yard box before landing at the feet of Linus Gechter who scuffed his effort over the crossbar when it looked easier to hit the target.
Forest restored the two goal lead moments later after Oliver Hammond sliced the Hertha defence apart and found the feet of the bombarding Aaron Donnelly who was able to fizz a low ball across the face of goal before Lukas Ullrich turned the ball into his own net.
The affair turned cagey in the closing stages as the frustrated opposition committed a succession of niggly fouls as they struggled to contain the energy of a youthful Forest side.
Full Time: Nottingham Forest 3-1 Hertha Berlin
Nottingham Forest: Dean Henderson; Joe Worrall ©, Moussa Niakhate, Scott McKenna; Neco Williams, Harry Toffolo; Jack Colback, Cafu; Brennan Johnson, Taiwo Awoniyi, Lyle Taylor
Substitutes on: Biancone, Cook, Mbe Soh, Laryea, Mighten, Ojeda, D.Taylor, Hammond, Fewster, Donnelly
Goals: Taylor (9’ & 20’), Ullrich O.G (84’)
Hertha Berlin: Jarstein, Pekarik, Boyata ©, Darida, Piatek, Lukebakio, Plattenhardt, Tousart, Dardai, Sunjic, Scherant
Substitutes on: Selke, Serdar, Kenny, Kempf, Ullrich, Boateng, Lee, Gechter, Zeefuik, Eitschberger
Goal: Scherant (45’)