The scenario:
TSG went into the match in 14th place in the table with 19 points on the board. Bayer 04 Leverkusen had five points more to their name and occupied 10th position.
Line-up:
Pellegrino Matarazzo made two changes compared to the team that lost 5-2 at VfL Bochum, with Kevin Akpoguma and Andrej Kramarić replacing Tom Bischof and Kasper Dolberg.
Number of the game: 1,149
It had been 1,149 days since Pellegrino Matarazzo last took his place in the TSG Hoffenheim dugout for a competitive game. With the American serving as assistant coach, Hoffenheim beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in that game in December 2019.
Moment of the match:
The goal for 2-0: TSG gathered themselves and were slightly more in the game towards the end of the first half, but Leverkusen upped their lead 60 seconds into the second period when Moussa Diaby tapped home Jeremie Frimpong’s square ball to make it 2-0. Hoffenheim could not come back from that.
Debut of the day:
Stanley Nsoki scored his first goal in a TSG Hoffenheim shirt. TSG gave it everything after scoring that goal (77) but could not turn the match around.
Outlook:
TSG will be back in action as soon as Friday, when they travel away to FC Augsburg. Kick-off in that match will be at 20:30 CET (Live Ticker at tsg-hoffenheim.de).
Stats:
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Ozan Kabak, Brooks, Nsoki – Akpoguma, Delaney (Tohumcu, 64), Angeliño (Bischof, 64) – Baumgartner, Geiger (Dolberg, 46) – Bebou (Asllani, 73), Kramarić
Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie, Sinkgraven (Bakker, 81) – Andrich, Demirbay (Adli, 81) – Frimpong (Bellarabi, 86), Wirtz, Diaby (Palacios, 73) – Hlozek (Amiri, 73)
Goals: 0-1 Andrich (6), 0-2 Diaby (46), 0-3 Hlozek (56), 1-3 Nsoki (77)
Match highlights
Early lead for Leverkusen
A setback for TSG as they concede an early goal. Wirtz cuts the ball back inside the box to Andrich, who hits it perfectly into the top right corner and leaves Baumann no chance.
Baumann makes strong save against Frimpong
A pass sends Frimpong clean through on Baumann. Brooks gives the Leverkusen player a push to ensure he cannot beat the keeper.
2-0 from the restart
Another rude awakening. After a misplaced pass, things happen quickly. Wirtz feeds Frimpong, who squares to Diaby in the box and the Frenchman is left with a tap-in.
Akpoguma with the first notable opportunity
The best chance for Hoffenheim. Following a counter-attack, Dolberg squares to Akpoguma outside the box who goes for goal left-footed but fires wide of the mark. The first real moment of danger.
It’s 3-0
TSG are hit on the counter. Frimpong is too quick for everyone again. He squares into the middle, where Hlozek doesn’t connect properly with the ball but somehow gets it past Kabak and into the goal.
Kramarić denied by Hradecky
Kramarić has the chance to make it 3-1 but is kept out by Hradecky. Akpoguma plays a good ball through to the striker in the box, but Hradecky makes himself big and saves strongly with his right hand.
Nsoki pulls one back
Nsoki squares the ball in the box but nobody gets on the end of it. Nsoki then gets the ball back and hammers a no-nonsense shot into the back of the net from close range.
Match facts and statistics »
Match highlights
Early lead for Leverkusen
A setback for TSG as they concede an early goal. Wirtz cuts the ball back inside the box to Andrich, who hits it perfectly into the top right corner and leaves Baumann no chance.
Baumann makes strong save against Frimpong
A pass sends Frimpong clean through on Baumann. Brooks gives the Leverkusen player a push to ensure he cannot beat the keeper.
2-0 from the restart
Another rude awakening. After a misplaced pass, things happen quickly. Wirtz feeds Frimpong, who squares to Diaby in the box and the Frenchman is left with a tap-in.
Akpoguma with the first notable opportunity
The best chance for Hoffenheim. Following a counter-attack, Dolberg squares to Akpoguma outside the box who goes for goal left-footed but fires wide of the mark. The first real moment of danger.
It’s 3-0
TSG are hit on the counter. Frimpong is too quick for everyone again. He squares into the middle, where Hlozek doesn’t connect properly with the ball but somehow gets it past Kabak and into the goal.
Kramarić denied by Hradecky
Kramarić has the chance to make it 3-1 but is kept out by Hradecky. Akpoguma plays a good ball through to the striker in the box, but Hradecky makes himself big and saves strongly with his right hand.
Nsoki pulls one back
Nsoki squares the ball in the box but nobody gets on the end of it. Nsoki then gets the ball back and hammers a no-nonsense shot into the back of the net from close range.