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TSG lose to strong double-winners
The line-up
Head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo made two changes to the team that started the 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. Grischa Prömel, who has a cruciate ligament injury, was replaced by Florian Grillitsch. Thigh problems ruled Adam Hložek at late notice, with Mergim Berisha coming into the starting XI.
The scenario
TSG occupied a mid-table position and were level on points with Bayer 04 Leverkusen after starting the season with one win and one defeat.
Moment of the match
The goal for 3-1. TSG held their own against the double-winners for a long time but Leverkusen's third goal, which came from a penalty kick awarded for a foul on Alejandro Grimaldo by Dennis Geiger, put the visitors on the path to victory.
Number of the game: 10
Kramaric extended his TSG Hoffenheim club record by being directly involved in at least one goal in 10 consecutive Bundesliga matches (11 goals and six assists). No other player has racked up as many direct goal involvements in the Bundesliga since the start of April.
Debut goal of the day
After his long spell on the sidelines, Mergim Berisha scored his first goal for TSG Hoffenheim.
Outlook
TSG Hoffenheim will be in action in the capital next Saturday: the match away to 1. FC Union Berlin will start at 15:30 CEST.
Stats
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Drexler (Bischof, 76), Stach, Akpoguma – Kadeřábek, Geiger, Grillitsch, Prass (Gendrey, 61) – Kramarić (Tohumcu, 87) – Berisha (Bruun Larsen, 61), Bülter (Moerstedt, 87)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie (Mukiele, 86) – Tella (Frimpong, 57), Xhaka, Andrich (Garcia, 80), Grimaldo – Terrier (Adli, 80), Boniface (Schick, 86), Wirtz
Goals: 0-1 Terrier (17), 0-2 Boniface (30), 1-2 Berisha (37), 1-3 Wirtz (pen., 72), 1-4 Boniface (75)
Match highlights
Leverkusen take the lead
Hoffenheim push up high for a goal kick and a simple piece of link-up play puts the duo of Boniface and Tierrier through against Baumann. Boniface then squares the ball and Terrier simply needs to slot home.
Baumann with stunning save
Very strong from Baumann! Terrier crosses the ball into the middle and Boniface wins the aerial battle with Drexler, but Baumann reacts strongly and steers the ball wide of goal.
Boniface increases lead
A long ball from Tah beats the entire defence and puts Boniface clean through on goal. Prass tries to make the intervention but Boniface turns him and fires an unstoppable shot into the back of the net.
A goal back
Mergim Berisha's first goal in a TSG shirt! Kramaric plays a cross from the left flank into the penalty area, where Berisha does very well to win the battle with Grimaldo and then slots home from close range.
Baumann with strong save against Boniface
TSG appeal for a penalty but the spot-kick is not awarded and Leverkusen counter. Boniface finds himself clean through on the halfway line and bears down on Baumann, but the TSG keeper gets down to the corner quickly and denies a third goal.
Akpoguma intervenes on the line
Another short corner-kick routine and Grimaldo shoots from the edge of the box. Baumann is beaten but Akpoguma is on the line and heads clear.
Wirtz scores from the spot
After a foul on Grimaldo by Geiger, Leverkusen are awarded a penalty kick which is converted by Wirtz.
Boniface strikes again
Boniface beats Kaderabek and then leaves Baumann without a chance with a neat left-footed strike.
Match facts and statistics »
