TSG lose to Fulham

There were four new signings – Attila Szalai, Julian Justvan, Florian Grillitsch and Marius Bülter – in the TSG Hoffenheim starting line-up. TSG made a courageous start at the venerable Craven Cottage, dictating the play and creating the first chance after three minutes. Grischa Prömel got a shot away in the penalty area following a lovely free-kick routine, only for Marius Bülter to block his strike unintentionally. Andrej Kramarić should have opened the scoring only a minute later: the Croatian attacker went clean through on the Fulham goal after Bülter had won the ball back, only to lob the ball straight into the hands of goalkeeper Bernd Leno (4).

The next double chance came on the quarter-hour mark: Prömel first had an attempt from a few metres out after a cross from Justvan, but he didn’t make proper contact on the ball with his flick and Leno was not forced into action; then, a minute later, Bülter fired narrowly wide of the goal from a centre-left position (16). The game subsequently died down, with no major opportunities until the break.

In the second period, Fulham took the lead with the first gilt-edged opportunity: Robinson delivered a low cross from the left flank towards the back post, where Raul Jimenez was left with a simple tap-in (51). TSG reacted swiftly and restored parity a short while later: Justvan played in a perfect cross from the left wing for Prömel, who headed home the leveller (57).

That was followed by a period of no chances for either team until Fulham re-established their advantage in the 73rd minute, Calvin Bassey putting the London outfit 2-1 up with a header from a corner. TSG could not muster a response, meaning that the final friendly before the first competitive match away to VfB Lübeck on 14 August (18:00 CET) ended in defeat.

TSG Hoffenheim line-up: Baumann – Ozan Kabak, Brooks, Szalai – Kadeřábek, Grillitsch (Damar, 79), Justvan (Conté, 86) – Prömel, Stiller – Kramarić, Bülter

Goals: 1-0 Jimenez (51), 1-1 Prömel (57), 2-1 Bassey (73)