FIRST TEAM
11/28/2012

TSG suffer at the hands of Nürnberg

Defensive problems reared their ugly head again for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim as they fell to a 4-2 defeat against 1. FC Nürnberg. Schipplock levelled the scores after Kiyotake had put the home side in front, but Nilsson headed FCN ahead before the break. Polter took advantage of an error to make it three, with Salihovic's late penalty in vain as Kiyotake scored his second soon after.

The trip to 1. FC Nürnberg could certainly have been labelled as a six-pointer, with both FCN and TSG in 15th and 16th place respectively in the Bundesliga table before the start of play. With two consecutive defeats behind them, Markus Babbel's side were looking to claim their first win on the road since matchday five. The TSG manager made two changes to his side from the unfortunate 2-1 defeat to Leverkusen, introducing Sven Schipplock and Daniel Williams to the starting line-up in place of Joselu and Vincenzo Grifo.

Unfortunately, Hoffenheim didn't start the game well and became victim to yet another set-piece goal after just six minutes. Hiroshi Kiyotake's dangerous delivery into the area went through the entire crowd, catching out TSG keeper Koen Casteels and nestling into the bottom left corner of his goal to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Despite the early setback, the visitors didn't let their heads drop and almost equalised five minutes later through a set-piece of their own. Sebastian Rudy's corner found an unmarked Marvin Compper in the centre, but the defender failed to make sufficient contact with his volley and the ball drifted wide of the post.

TSG almost found themselves further behind after 17 minutes when Kiyotake went on a mazy run through the defence and past the keeper, only to be denied eventually by a superb goal-line clearance by Fabian Johnson. There were more Hoffenheim heroics fifteen minutes later, after Chandler found space on the right-hand side to pull back for Gebhart, but Casteels made a brilliant reaction save to keep his side just one goal down. In fact, the save proved pivotal as TSG went up the other end and levelled the scores. Kevin Volland was allowed time on the left wing to deliver a curling cross, and Schipplock was completely unchallenged six yards out to nod home his second goal of the season.

The goal gave Babbel's men confidence and they looked more assured leading up to the half time whistle, but once again a set-piece caused their downfall as they went into the break 2-1 down. Timo Gebhart's free kick was hit at goal, but Casteels made a fine save to tip it onto the crossbar. Nevertheless, Per Nilsson was the quickest to follow up and headed into the open net to put Nürnberg back in front.

Babbel introduced Takashi Usami at the break to try and give Hoffenheim some command in midfield, but the game continued to be controlled by Nürnberg in the second half. TSG survived efforts by Simons and Kiyotake, before an individual error handed them their third goal after 69 minutes. Compper was too casual in his back-pass to Casteels and Sebastian Polter was able to nip in and round the keeper before slotting home for a 3-1 lead. Looking all but beaten, TSG were handed a lifeline when Nilsson was penalised for handball in the area, giving Salihovic a chance from the penalty spot. The Bosnian duly sent Schäfer the wrong way to haul the visitors back within a goal with still ten minutes to play.

TSG pushed forward in search of a much needed equaliser but got caught out at the back by Kiyotake's neat play. The Japanese international played a smart one-two with Cohen, before unleashing a curling effort from 20 yards that went in off the post to restore his side's two-goal lead. The final whistle sounded minutes later to hand TSG a third defeat in a row, leaving them three points adrift in the relegation spot. Goals from set-pieces proved once again to be a problem for Markus Babbel's side, as well as individual errors. The Hoffenheim team will have to address the issues quickly, with the next game coming on Sunday in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena against Werder Bremen.

Matt Hardy

1. FC Nürnberg:
Schäfer – Chandler (58' Cohen), Nilsson, Klose, Pinola – Simons – Balitsch, Frantz – Kiyotake (87' Mak), Gebhart – Polter (73' Pekhart)

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim:
Casteels – Beck, Delpierre (46' Usami), Compper, Johnson – Williams, Rudy – Roberto Firmino (68' Derdiyok), Salihovic, Volland – Schipplock (57' Joselu)

Goals: 1-0 Kiyotake (6'), 1-1 Schipplock (33'), 2-1 Nilsson (44'), 3-1 Polter (69'), 3-2 Salihovic (81'), 4-2 Kiyotake (86')
Yellow cards: Klose - Roberto Firmino, Delpierre, Rudy, Beck

Attendance: 30,397
Referee: Dr. Jochen Drees

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