HAMBURG, Aug 27 (SW) - Hertha Berlin responded well to going behind early and eventually earned a 1-1 draw away to Hamburg on Sunday in a match that saw both teams finish with just 10 players.

Hamburg, who qualified for the Champions League on Wednesday, took the lead after 18 minutes as Boubacar Sanogo got his head to a Collin Benjamin cross, putting the home side up 1-0.

They were fortunate to still have that lead seven minutes later, though, as Marko Pantelic saw his shot crash against the post and three minutes later he again came close but was denied.

Hamburg gladly went to the dressing room at half-time up 1-0 as Hertha began to take it to them after the goal was score.

Early on in the second term, things looked bleak for the hosts as midfielder Rafael van der Vaart left the game with an injury, and soon after their lead would disappear.

On 64 minutes, Hamburg failed to clear a Hertha corner kick, and the ball found its way through to Christian Gimenez, and the striker guided the ball past Sascha Kirschstein.

The home side nearly regained the lead in the 71st minute as substitute forward Paolo Guerrero dragged a shot just barely wide from inside the Hertha penalty area.

The action then got a bit nasty as both sides would finish the game with 10 players.

Hertha's Sofian Chahed picked up his second yellow card with five minutes to go and that was followed up by bookings for teammates Pal Dardai and Pantelic.

But, with 89 minutes played, Benjamin too was shown the exit with a straight red card for a vicious tackle from behind.