Hertha Berlin were denied a second successive victory as Werder Bremen fought back to earn a 1-1 draw in the German capital.
The hosts made an impressive start to the match when Valentin Stocker reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box to open the scoring with a powerful finish in the sixth minute.
Werder hit back when summer signing Anthony Ujah tapped in from close range after miscuing his initial header, but neither side could find the vital second goal after the break.
Read below to find out how the points were shared at the Olympic Stadium.
Good evening everyone! The second week of the Bundesliga season gets underway tonight as Hertha Berlin host Werder Bremen at the Olympic Stadium. Hertha were victorious on the opening day, while Werder started the new campaign with a disappointing defeat. It promises to be an exciting evening. You can follow all of the action here.
On paper, there probably isn't much to choose between these two sides. Hertha finished a disappointing 15th last season, but it looks safe to assume they will be a much better team this season. Pal Dardai's men proved that with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Augsburg in a match which saw both sides finish with 10 men. That surely came as a huge confidence boost to the team, but can they make it six points tonight?
After flirting with the relegation zone early in the season, Werder the form team for much of the second half of the last campaign on the way to a seventh-place finish. The pressure is on Viktor Skrypnyk to prove that his side can repeat that achievement and possibly push for Europa League qualification, but they were well-beaten in a 3-0 loss to Schalke last week. A response is needed tonight.
HERTHA: Kraft, Pekarik, Langkamp, Lustenberger, Plattenhardt, Skjelbred, Darida, Haraguchi, Hegeler, Stocker, Kalou
WERDER BREMEN: Wiedwald, Gebre Selassie, Lukimya, Vestergaard, U.Garcia, Bargfrede, Fritz, Junuzovic, Eggestein, Ujah, Johannsson
Dardai makes just one change to the team that started against Augsburg as Genki Haraguchi replaces Roy Beerens, who is suspended following his red card in last week's victory. Mitchell Weiser, who left Bayern for the capital earlier in the summer, is on the bench after recovering from knee ligament damage.
Werder respond to last week's poor display by making two changes as Fin Bartels and Levin Oztunali both drop out of the team. Maximilian Eggestein will provide support for the attack from midfield, while summer signing Aron Johannsson partners Anthony Ujah up front.
Many have predicted that the loss of Franco Di Santo, who joined Schalke earlier in the summer, could leave Werder Bremen struggling this season, and Hertha certainly won't have a problem with not facing him tonight. The Argentine scored the equaliser in a 2-2 draw a year ago, before netting both goals in a 2-0 triumph when the two sides met again in February.
PREDICTION: Werder will be desperate to improve on last season's disappointing display in the loss to Schalke, but they could find it tough against a confident Hertha side. It should be a close game and I'm going to sit on the fence. 2-2 draw.
Here we go then. Both teams are out on the pitch and the handshakes are out of the way.
KICKOFF! Hertha get the game underway. It's a noisy night at the Olympic Stadium.
Johannsson looks lively early on with his running off the ball. The USA international sends a speculative half-volley over from 30 yards, but he had been flagged for offside.
Neither side have managed to settle into a long spell of possession early on. Haraguchi threatens the visiting defence with a clever run from the right, but Bargfrede stops him with a perfectly timed tackle in the box.
GOAL! HERTHA BERLIN 1-0 WERDER BREMEN (VALENTIN STOCKER)
What a start for the hosts! Werder never really clear the danger from a corner and they are punished for not getting out quick enough. Kalou challenges for a high ball before Hegeler's effort is blocked, but Stocker reacts quickest to beat Wiedwald with a stunning finish from just inside the box.
Hertha have quickly grown in confidence since the opener and the hosts are moving the ball quickly when they do get further forward. Werder need to calm things down in possession.
The visitors apply some pressure on the Hertha defence with an extended spell on the ball, but their progress is halted when Gebre Selassie commits a foul while attempting to connect with a cross at the back post.
Superb from Haraguchi on the right as he leaves a couple of Werder defenders behind him with a couple of clever pieces of skill, but his dangerous cross is cleared by Gebre Selassie under pressure from Stocker.
Garcia is slightly fortune not to go into the book when he charges in to bring down Haraguchi, who has been very impressive in the early stages. Wiedwald does well to come through traffic to collect the cross from the free kick.
Hertha are asking the questions again. Pekarik's run takes him from one wing to the other, before a Plattenhardt cross needs clearing by Vestergaard at the front post.
Darida has no intention of hearing what the referee has to say after chopping down Vestergaard. A free kick into the box causes a few problems for the Hertha defence, but Ujah goes down far too easily as the hosts eventually clear the danger following a poor touch from the striker.
Werder Bremen are all over the place at the back as Stocker and Kalou lead the attack. Kalou's clever touch releases Haraguchi on the right, but his cross to the back post is headed behind by Fritz. Hertha have certainly been the better side so far.
Ouch! It doesn't look good for Hegeler when his knee buckles after challenging for a header with Garcia. He is clearly in a lot of pain as the medical staff help him off the pitch. Let's hope it isn't too serious.
GOAL! HERTHA BERLIN 1-1 WERDER BREMEN (UJAH)
Werder pull level with their first chance of the night. Much of the credit goes to Garcia, who delivers a brilliant cross from the left. Ujah should score with the header, but after miscuing the first attempt, the Nigerian striker taps in from close range.
Fortunately for Hertha and Hegeler, the midfielder appears to be fine after that injury scare. Werder suddenly look like a different side as they threaten again before Langkamp clears a cross from Fritz.
Dardai should be a little concerned with how Hertha have dropped deeper since conceding the equaliser. Their midfield needs to get higher up the field to put pressure on Werder, who look relaxed in possession.
Werder are causing all of the problems now. Garcia delivers another cross which falls to Ujah, who is crowded out before he can find the space to unleash a shot.
Hertha just can't relieve the pressure. Kalou is being forced to chase hopeful long balls, which means the defence have been unable to get further up the pitch. Werder certainly the more likely of the two sides to claim a lead before the break.
Much better from Hertha as they step on the tempo in possession to force Werder to work harder in defence for an extended spell. Dardai will want to see more of this, but Kalou needs to get involved more often.
Kalou is starting to play on the last defender once again and he's just a few inches too early with the run after appearing to be through on goal. Good decision from the assistant referee. I mentioned these two sides were evenly matched and the first half has certainly proved that.
Good move from the visitors as Ujah links with Johannsson, who plays the ball into Eggestein but he is halted in the box by Plattenhardt's excellent tackle. Lukimya heads well wide from the corner.
HALF TIME: HERTHA BERLIN 1-1 WERDER BREMEN
An excellent finish from Valentin Stocker ensured Hertha made the perfect start and they appeared to be in complete control until Anthony Ujah levelled the scores. Werder have been the better side since the equaliser and it is very difficult to pick a winner at the halfway stage.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't dare lose my man at a set-piece.
BENCH WATCH: With both sides enjoying spells on top, it seems unlikely that we will see a change before the second half. Hertha do have Mitchell Weiser to call on, and he would provide some extra creativity from midfield. Werder will surely call on Fin Bartels at some stage tonight.
The players are just about to head out for the second half. Can Hertha make it two wins from two, or will Werder kick-start their campaign? I'm sticking with 2-2!
Good hold-up play from Junuzovic, who drifts into a central position to win a free kick for his side in the first minute of the second half.
Junuzovic is usually a threat from free kicks, but a speculative effort from over 30 yards never looks capable of finding the net as Kraft collects with ease.
Garcia has looked very good going forward for the visitors, but he has been far from convincing with his defensive duties at full-back. Kalou gets past him far too easily before a low cross is cleared by Vestergaard with Stocker lurking.
CHANCE! Hertha should be ahead. Kalou does well to bring down a high ball in the box before teeing up Darida, whose effort is blocked. For the second time this evening the ball breaks kindly for Stocker, but he sends a half-volley over the crossbar.
CHANCE! Two opportunities for Stocker in the space of a minute. Kalou is at the heart of a move again as he finds his teammate with a clever back-heel, but Gebre Selassie recovers well to get a vital touch on the ball as Stocker's deflected effort drifts just wide of the post.
It is turning into a very good match at the Olympic Stadium, with both sides attacking at pace when they win the ball. Hertha threaten again when Pekarik finds space on the wing to deliver a cross which Hegeler heads well wide.
Are Hertha going to regret missing these chances? Pekarik and Darida combine well to create space for the latter, who manages to get to the byline before pulling back the cross. Stocker should shoot immediately, but his decision to take a touch allows Kraft to collect the ball at his feet.
Hertha are taking a few more risks in the second half and committing more men forward seems to suit them and Kalou, who is finding the space he was denied before the interval.
YELLOW CARD! Fritz is the first player to go into the book for a mixture of a foul and dissent. It looks harsh on the Werder skipper, who only had eyes for the ball while challenging Lustenberger in the air.
SUB! Eggestein, who was playing just his fourth senior game tonight, comes off to be replaced by Bartels as Skrypnyk turns to the bench first.
CHANCE! Haraguchi hasn't seen as much of the ball as he did in the first half, but he pops up in space to find Pekarik, whose effort is deflected into the side-netting. Werder manage to clear the danger from the corner. Decent opportunity for the hosts.
Garcia offers another sign of how good he is going forward as he ends a fine run by playing an inch-perfect through ball to Ujah, whose low shot is superbly saved by Kraft. The offside flag goes up, but replays suggest it was a well-timed run.
The introduction of Bartels has certainly made a difference. He's getting on the ball in good areas as Werder start to cause a few more problems for the Hertha defence.
Werder surprise the hosts with a more direct approach as Ujah flicks on a long ball forward. Junuzovic is clear of Lustenberger, but his tame effort on the run is easily saved by Kraft.
SUB! Weiser returns from injury to replace Hegeler. Can he provide the extra quality Hertha need in the final third of the pitch?
These two sides are running out of time to find a winner. A fine cross from Kalou manages to evade everyone in the box, but Hertha come forward again and it's Lustenberger who delivers a ball which Wiedwald comes of the line to collect.
SUB! Skrypnyk makes another change as Johannsson, who has worked hard without much reward, comes off to be replaced by Oztunali.
OFF THE BAR! Kraft is a lucky boy. The Hertha goalkeeper charges off his line in an attempt to collect the ball from a free kick, but he is beaten to it by his own defender and Langkamp is relieved when his looping header bounces off the top of the crossbar.
OFF THE POST! Werder are inches away from taking the lead once again. It's a superb header from Vestergaard as he climbs highest to meet a corner with a powerful header that strikes the post. Kraft pushes the ball away to ensure the rebound is not converted.
Hertha then make anther change as Alexander Baumjohann, who has been out of action for 16 months, comes on to replace Kalou.
Much like the first half, Hertha have faded after a good start. Werder are causing problems more often now, and both sides are happy to commit men forward in the closing stages.
Vestergaard, who was linked with Newcastle earlier this month, has been superb this evening and he produces another piece of excellent defending to hold off Baumjohann after the substitute receives the ball inside the box.
SUBS! A change each in the final minute of normal time. Hertha boss Dardai brings on USA international John Brooks to replace Stocker, while Werder defender Alejandro Galvez is on for Junuzovic. It looks like the visitors are happy with the draw, but they still look capable of nicking the win.
Hertha almost create the chance to win the match as Baumjohann plays in Pekarik, whose cross is delivered into the perfect area. The loose ball falls to Brooks, but he fails to react quick enough to unleash a shot as Vestergaard steps in once again.
FULL TIME: HERTHA BERLIN 1-1 WERDER BREMEN
The two teams take a point on an entertaining night in the capital. Hertha led through Stocker's fine finish, but Werder hit back with an equaliser from Ujah in the first half. In truth, a draw was a fair result. Hertha stay unbeaten, while the visitors recover from their opening-day defeat by collecting a hard-fought point.
That's all from out live coverage this evening. Thanks for joining me tonight. Make sure you follow all of the action and news from the Bundesliga with Sports Mole over the weekend.
