FIRST TEAM
04/20/2019

Furious TSG claim comfortable win at S04

TSG Hoffenheim produced a fine performance on Bundesliga Matchday 30 as they thrashed Schalke 04 5-2 (2-0) to extend their unbeaten run to six games. The win − their first away from home against the Royal Blues since 2011 − came courtesy of goals from Ishak Belfodil (two), Andrej Kramaric, Adam Szalai and Nadiem Amiri. The three points kept Julian Nagelsmann's charges on course for a top six finish and narrowed the gap to fifth place to one point.

Personnel and tactics:

Julian Nagelsmann made one change to the starting XI that beat Hertha Berlin 2-0 last time out. Goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was protected by a three-man defence consisting of Kevin Vogt, Benjamin Hübner and the returning Ermin Bicakcic. The duo of Nico Schulz and Pavel Kaderabek kept their usual wing-back spots.

Florian Grillitsch, Kerem Demirbay and Nadiem Amiri lined up in an unchanged three-man midfield, while Andrej Kramaric started up front alongside Ishak Belfodil.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann made his first change in the 56th minute when he withdrew Hübner for Adam Szalai and switched to a 4-4-2 formation in which central midfielder Grillitsch repeatedly dropped back between the two centre-backs. Joshua Brenet replaced Schulz at left wing-back on 71 minutes, with Kasim Adams coming off the bench to replace Demirbay once the visitors were 5-1 up (81).

Moment of the match:

The opening goal. The move started with Bicakcic winning a header and it wasn't long before the Schalke defence was breached for the first time. Belfodil received the ball and fed Amiri, who played it back to the Algerian frontman. He dribbled forward at pace and, after getting the better of Schalke's Nastasic, finished emphatically from just inside the box.

Number of the game: 50

The goal that put the visitors 3-1 up was Adam Szalai's 50th in the Bundesliga. He has scored most of his goals in the German top flight (22) for TSG Hoffenheim.

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