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TSG beat Leverkusen in end-to-end encounter
Personnel & tactics:
Head coach Alfred Schreuder made two changes to the starting XI that beat Werder Bremen 3-0 last time out. Philipp Pentke kept his place between the sticks, while Robert Skov replaced Steven Zuber at left-back following his recovery from injury. But the rest of the back line remained the same with Stefan Posch continuing at right-back and Kevin Akpoguma partnering Benjamin Hübner at the heart of defence. Diadie Samassékou started as the sole defensive midfielder in place of Florian Grillitsch, while Pavel Kadeřábek, Sebastian Rudy, Christoph Baumgartner and Munas Dabbur all played slightly further forward. Andrej Kramarić was the lone striker in the 4-1-4-1 formation.
The first TSG substitution came on the hour-mark with Dabbur making way for Sargis Adamyan for the second game in a row. A second change followed in the 65th minute as Florian Grillitsch replaced Baumgartner in midfield. Adamyan was then forced off with an injury in the 83rd minute and Ermin Bičakčić came on in his stead.
Moment of the match:
The final whistle: huge celebrations erupted when referee Deniz Aytekin blew the final whistle after 94 minutes. TSG had come from behind to beat Bayer Leverkusen – a victory which moved them to within one point of Peter Bosz's side and Schalke 04, and represented a major success ahead of their DFB Cup trip to Bayern Munich in four days.
Number of the game: 4
The 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen means that TSG have now won four of their last five fixtures.
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Pentke – Posch, Akpoguma, Hübner, Skov – Samassékou – Kadeřábek, Rudy, Baumgartner (Grillitsch, 65), Dabbur (Adamyan, 60/Bičakčić, 83) – Kramarić
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky – L. Bender, Tah, S. Bender, Sinkgraven (Alario, 74) – Baumgartlinger (Amiri, 73), Demirbay – Bellarabi (Bailey, 46), Havertz, Diaby – Volland
Goals: 0-1 Diaby (11), 1-1 Kramarić (23), 2-1 Skov (65)
Red card: Demirbay (90+2)
Match highlights
Big chance to take an early lead goes begging as Dabbur loses out in a one-on-one with Bayer shot-stopper Hradecky after being fed by Rudy.
That was too easy. Diaby receives the ball on the left, gets the better of Posch and then rolls it past Pentke and inside the near post.
The visitors counter and Diaby gets another shot away in the box, but this time Pentke makes a strong save to keep it at 1-0.
What a nicely worked goal. Rudy is in a central position and he picks out Dabbur with a pass. The striker plays it out wide to Kadeřábek, whose cross is delivered perfectly into the middle and easily slotted home by Kramarić.
TSG lose possession of the ball. Volland squares it to Bellarabi on the edge of the penalty area but his shot from 20 metres strikes the outside of the post.
This is end to end stuff. TSG go close via a corner but are then hit on the counter. Diaby squares to Bellarabi, who has an open goal at his mercy, but Skov hurries back and clears off the line. Pentke then makes a good save to deny Volland.
Hoffenheim again go close seconds after kick-off. Baumgartner goes on a brilliant dribbling run through the Leverkusen defence but his left-footed shot from inside the box is clawed away from the corner by Hradecky.
At the other end, Leverkusen almost take the lead. Havertz is afforded too much space and has a choice between shooting or squaring in the box. He goes for the shot himself and sees his effort blocked.
Volland meets a cross with a header from several metres out, but Pentke and Hübner team up to thwart what is an excellent opportunity.
Another brilliant goal. Adamyan does sensationally well to beat Baumgartlinger and crosses perfectly into Kramarić. The Croatian forward chests the ball into the path of Baumgartner, who is denied by Hradecky from close range. But the rebound falls to Skov, who hammers the ball home off the bar.
Hoffenheim lose possession and things happen quickly from there: Amiri shoots from the edge of the box but Pentke makes a strong save. He reacts equally well to the ensuing corner to keep out a potential equaliser.
Adamyan again does well to break through down the right and crosses perfectly into the centre. Kramarić is unmarked but he doesn't get the right contact on the ball and his shot strikes the woodwork on its way behind for a goal-kick.
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