Points were shared on a warm evening at the HDI-Arena as a late equaliser from Valentin Stocker cancelled out Chirstian Schulz’ opener eight minutes from time.

The 25-year old scored just his second goal of the season with a left-footed strike from 20-yards after Schulz had put the home side in the lead after 75 minutes.

Hannover were just eight minutes away from their first win of 2015 until a lapse in concentration cost the side from Lower Saxony.

The result leaves the hosts in 14th place, but could drop to 15th should SC Freiburg fail to win against Schalke 04 on Saturday afternoon.

Hertha Berlin remain in 11th, and have now recorded three wins in a row, making them unbeaten in six games – a turn of fortunes since they were facing a relegation fight at the beginning of the year.

Tayfun Korkut made just one change from their 2-2 draw against high-flyers, Eintracht Frankfurt in a bid for three points. Miiko Albornoz returned to the starting XI in place of Edgar Prib – who dropped to the bench.

Nico Schulz returned at left-back for Hertha Berlin after missing their 2-0 victory against SC Paderborn 07, as the visitors looked for their third straight win.

John Brooks put the ball into the back of the net after 15 minutes, but his effort was ruled out as Sebastian Langkamp who strayed offside, before the ball fell to the American – who famously scored an 86th minute against Ghana in the 2014 World Cup.

Salif Sané forced Thomas Kraft into his first save of the match after 31 minutes, but the 24-year old defender couldn’t generate enough power on the ball to trouble the German.

Jimmy Briand then had another opportunity to give Hannover the lead just minutes later, but the Frenchman will be disappointed with his effort as the ball sailed over the crossbar.

As teams headed into halftime at 0-0, Stocker had a penalty appeal turned down from Marco Fritz after the Switzerland international took a tumble inside the penalty area.

Hannover had a sense of urgency in the opening stages of the second-half after captain, Lars Stindl struck the post from 25-yards in the opening stages.

Hertha Berlin had two penalty appeals waved away in the matter of seconds after Soloman Kalou was brought down in the box – following a tackle from Felipe, before Haragouchi was brought down by Hiroki Sakai.

Needing goals, Korkut turned to Joselu – who came on for Didier Ya Konan after 64 minutes. The Spaniard has found the back of the net on eight occasions this season, and provided much needed strength and prowess in the attackin-third.

Schulz bundled the ball into the back of the net with 15 minutes left to play after Kraft had pulled off two point-blank saves before the ball fell to the German.

Fritz then waved another penalty appeal away from Hertha Berlin, after Haragouchi was again tumbled into the box – this time from Marcelo, to the disgust of Pál Dárdai who is in charge until the end of the season.

Stocker’s energy paid off as eight minutes from time, as the summer signing from Basel equalised for the club from the capital after the ball fell to him on the edge of the box – firing past Ron Robert Zieler.

Hannover now face a tricky away trip to high flying Bayer Leverkusen whilst Hertha Berlin welcome 1. FC Köln to the Olympiastadion on matchday 29.

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