No. 5 – Sejad Salihovic: The man with nerves of steel

The day: May 18th 2013

The time: 82nd Minute

The moment: 80,645 fans are inside the sold-out Signal Iduna Park – only around 4,000 of them are cheering for Sejad Salihovic as he steps up to face Kevin Großkreutz from the penalty spot. The score is 1-1. A 2-1 lead would put TSG very close to a victory in Dortmund. The best and possibly the last chance to secure a relegation play-off spot. “Sali” steps forward and hammers the ball into the middle of the net, on the final matchday, with the weight of possible relegation on his shoulders. Sky commentator Wolff Fuss spoke of a man with nerves of steel. Salihovic had fired Hoffenheim away from relegation.

The consequence: TSG secured a relegation play-off spot with the win in Dortmund and went on to beat 1. FC Kaiserslautern 3-1 and 2-1 to confirm their place in the Bundesliga for the 2013/14 season. Markus Gisdol and his coaching staff had achieved the unthinkable and began their preparations for another campaign of top-flight football.