FIRST TEAM

11/07/2024

Craziness in stoppage time: Draw with Lyon

Good performance, dramatic closing stages: TSG Hoffenheim played out a 2-2 (0-0) draw with Olympique Lyon on Matchday 4 of the UEFA Europa League. TSG were the superior side in the first half but spurned opportunities to take the lead. That changed directly after the interval when Valentin Gendrey opened the scoring at 1-0 following an assist from Tom Bischof (47). It was only after the opening goal that the French outfit came to life and increased the pressure, with Vinicius Abner levelling the scores amid a spell of pressure from the visitors (66). Alexandre Lacazette looked to have scored the winning goal for Lyon in stoppage time (90+4), but it was TSG who had the final say: Umut Tohumcu salvaged a deserved point with a shot from the edge of the penalty area (90+5).

The line-up

Head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo made three changes to the starting line-up that suffered a 2-0 defeat against FC St. Pauli: Kevin Akpoguma, Umut Tohumcu and Max Moerstedt started in place of Stanley Nsoki, Adam Hložek and Marius Bülter.

The scenario

TSG Hoffenheim had four points after three matchdays, which left them mid-table in 18th position. Lyon had taken six out of a possible nine points in that timeframe and went into the match in 10th place.

Moment of the match

Lyon looked set to claim the victory following Alexandre Lacazette's goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but Umut Tohumcu rescued a point with his first goal for the TSG first team.

Number of the game: 3

Third clash with Lyon, third draw. Their 3-3 and 2-2 draws in the Champions League in the 2018/19 season have now been followed by a 2-2 stalemate in the Europa League. TSG have scored a stoppage-time equaliser in all three matches.

Seated footballer of the day

Tom Bischof provided the assist, but it was Max Moerstedt who made the opening goal possible. While on the ground he poked the ball to Bischof, who subsequently picked out Gendrey in the middle.

Outlook

Prior to the international break, TSG Hoffenheim have an away game coming up in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The match away to FC Augsburg begins at 15:30 CEST. The Europa League campaign continues on 28 November when TSG visit Portugal for their away game against Sporting Braga.

Stats

Line-ups:

TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Arthur Chaves, Stach, Akpoguma – Gendrey, Tohumcu, Grillitsch, Prass (Kadeřábek, 68) – Bischof (Hložek, 76) – Moerstedt (Tabaković, 76), Kramarić (Bülter, 68)

Olympique Lyon: Descamps – Kumbedi (Maitland-Niles, 62), Caleta-Car, Clinton, Abner – Caqueret (Tolisso, 82), Omari, Tessmann – Orban (Cherki, 62), Mikautadze (Lacazette, 62), Benrahma (Fofana, 62)

Goals: 1-0 Gendrey (47), 1-1 Abner (66), 1-2 Lacazette (90+4), 2-2 Tohumcu (90+5)

Match highlights

11. Min.

Kramaric fails to open scoring

Descamps in the Lyon goal wants to play the ball long but does not strike his attempted clearance properly. That allows Kramaric a glimpse of goal, but his attempt to find the empty net is blocked by an opposition defender.

29. Min.

Moerstedt with a huge chance

Bischof asserts himself on the edge of his own box following a Lyon corner-kick and feeds Kramaric, who goes clean through in the opposition half. Unfortunately the Croat does not properly control the ball, denying himself a top goalscoring chance. But he plays it into the path of the onrushing Moerstedt, who cuts into the penalty area and gets a shot away. Descamps makes a good reflex save.

43. Min.

Spectacular stop by Descamps

Bischof feeds Kramaric, who shapes up to shoot with his right foot and aims for the far corner. Descamps dives at full stretch and claws the ball away from the corner.

47. Min.

Gendrey fires TSG into the lead

Hoffenheim lead – and it is highly deserved! Moerstedt loses his footing but still finds Bischof, who carries it past an opponent before passing low into the middle. Gendrey arrives at the right moment and opens the scoring!

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53. Min.

Moerstedt wide of the mark

TSG almost double the scoring immediately. Tohumcu is not closed down in midfield and finds Moerstedt. The 18-year-old targets the far corner but fires wide of the mark.

66. Min.

Lyon level scoring

Lyon pile on the pressure and get their reward, which has unfortunately been on the cards in the last few minutes. A shot from Lacazette is blocked but the ball lands at the feet of Abner, who fires home unstoppably.

75. Min.

Huge opportunity for Stach

Stach is agonisingly close to putting TSG back in front! Bülter crosses the ball from deep and Stach gets to it in the middle, but Descamps somehow turns the shot over the crossbar.

77. Min.

Hlozek close to re-establishing lead

Hlozek has a huge chance immediately after coming off the bench! A corner picks out the Czech at the back post but his attempt is slightly too central and Descamps is able to make the save.

90 + 4. Min.

Lacazette scores

Lyon strike at the death. Caleta-Car flicks on a corner-kick towards Lacazette, who slots home from close range at the back post. That's bitter.

90 + 5. Min.

There's the equaliser

TSG manage to restore parity – now that's striking at the death! A cross from Kaderabek is cleared into the path of Tohumcu on the edge of the box and he meets it on the volley. A deserved equaliser!