FIRST TEAM
08/10/2019

Bebou: "We kept our heads up"

Here we bring you the reactions of the players and coaches after TSG Hoffenheim beat Würzburger Kickers 5-4 on penalties (FT: 2-2; ET: 3-3) in the First Round of the DFB Cup.

Oliver Baumann: "We cannot allow ourselves to take the lead twice and be pegged back both times. We need to work on that. That said, I don't actually think it was a poor game. It didn't look like it in the end; it was an even encounter, that's clear. We're a tad dissatisfied but all in all we're happy to reach the next round."

Ihlas Bebou: "We competed well and invested a lot, but so did Würzburg. We showed great desire and kept our heads up. It was very intense, the Kickers performed well and deserved to get to a penalty shootout. Fortunately, though, it was us who came out on top. In the end, all that counts is the win, though we do need to work through our mistakes. Everything happened very quickly with my goal. I was obviously delighted to score my first goal for TSG.

Sebastian Rudy: "The first 65 minutes were really good, but then we let Würzburg get a foothold in the game. At times, they played some really good football. It was a better performance from us once it went to extra-time; we got another goal but, then, we sort of stopped playing. In the cup, every little detail is punished. Fortunately, that didn't count against us today and it ended well for us."

Alexander Rosen: "We won and showed for 65 minutes what we want to see: we want to be a dominant team, push forward, be courageous, win the ball quickly, win and show mental strength. That was good. As was the way the team showed their delight. The support was superb, we'll happily take all of that. And you could see that we have a player up front who is capable of causing problems for opponents."

Alfred Schreuder: "Big compliment to Würzburg. The conditions were top. The match actually went the way we'd planned it to. We dominated for the first 65 minutes and performed well. We were leading 2-0 but what happened next is obviously not on. The game isn't won at 2-0. The opposition played with slightly more freedom and we let our game plan get away from us. That's when something like that happens. And then the support of the crowd played a role too. Fortunately, we got the win. That's how it is in football. All that ultimately counts is getting through."

Michael Schiele (Würzburger Kickers coach): "We wanted to play slightly more defensively and be compact in the centre today, as TSG are an incredible footballing side. They have several top players. You need to have that little bit of luck on your side. Shame that the goal came from a corner. In the second half, we had nothing to lose with the score at 2-0. We won the ball back superbly and showed a great mentality. It was an incredible energetic performance. We had even more chances. We were full of belief in extra-time. But when it comes to penalties, you have a 50/50 chance. The players believed in themselves. It was a cup battle."

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