Freiburg strike late to deny 1899

After the 2-0 defeat to Hamburger SV last Sunday, Hoffenheim coach Holger Stanislawski made as many as five changes to his starting eleven. Andreas Beck (suspension) and Edson Braafheid (thigh) were left out and Tobias Weis, Sebastian Rudy and Vedad Ibisevic were dropped to the bench. In their place came Isaac Vorsah, Daniel Williams, Roberto Firmino, Peniel Mlapa and Chinedu Obasi. Williams, making an appearance against his former club, lined up as one of two defensive-minded midfielders in Stanislawski's side, as Hoffenheim employed a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Mlapa can't convert

It was the home side who emerged out of the blocks first in an exciting opening to the game. On nine minutes, Chinedu Obasi won an aerial duel with his marker in the Freiburg box, and headed across goal. Running in to meet the knock-down at a rate of knots was Germany U21 striker Peniel Mlapa, and the young striker made good contact with his header, but could only fire narrowly over the bar, letting the Freiburg defence off the hook. Bosnian midfielder Sejad Salihovic then soon tested Freiburg keeper Oliver Baumann with a series of inswinging corners. 1899 were knocking on the door and forcing Freiburg's defence, so often their achilles heel this season, into making errors and putting themselves under pressure. Just before the 20-minute mark, Johannes Flum nearly sent most of the 28,250 spectators into ecstasy when his weak backpass to Baumann almost allowed Ryan Babel to steal in, but a timely challenge from the keeper allowed him to clear the ball and spare Flum's blushes.

Firmino strikes

The home side continued to press and they were rewarded a few minutes later when they took the lead. Sejad Salihovic elected to take a short corner to Fabian Johnson. The USA international caught the Freiburg defence napping with a cross into the penalty area which found Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino, who converted with aplomb from close range (24). Far from opening the floodgates, however, the goal seemed to rouse Marcus Sorg's side from their slumber and they soon went on the offensive looking for an instant equaliser. Cedrick Makiadi got on the end of a cross from Flum but his effort travelled narrowly over the bar (29). And they came even closer six minutes before the break when Julian Schuster tested Tom Starke with a free-kick from a tight angle, which the keeper kept out with the help of his right-hand post. Hoffenheim also went close to adding to their lead when Obasi's header from Salihovic's corner clipped the top of the bar, before Firmino was again denied by Baumann. The Brazilian was released with a delightful pass from Williams, but Baumann was off his line in a flash and closed down the space in front of Firmino with impressive speed, forcing Firmino to send his effort wide of the target (44).

Exciting opening to the second half

The sides emerged for the second half unchanged, and it was the visitors who had the first chance after the restart. Papiss Cissé, Freiburg's talismanic Senegalese striker, found himself one-on-one with Starke, but his composure deserted him and his shot was saved by an alert Starke in the Hoffenheim goal (51). Obasi and Salihovic also continued to pepper the Freiburg goal with shots from distance, with the Nigerian going close when he struck the side netting (53). Hoffenheim then seemed to get deeper and deeper in their own half, inviting pressure from their opponents. The away side's possession count rose, and they almost had an equaliser to match on 73 minutes when Felix Bastian's free-kick was tipped over the bar by Starke. The action rather quietened down as the game entered its final stages. But on 89 minutes, TSG had the chance to seal the points when Vedad Ibisevic, an 84th minute substitute, found himself one-on-one with Baumann. The Bosnian did well to hold off a covering defender, but his weak shot was saved by the keeper's outstretched leg, and the chance was gone.

Heartbreak for Hoffenheim

And it turned out to be a costly miss. Marcus Sorg threw on Erik Jendrisek, Stefan Reisinger and Dembele, and the attacking substitutions worked. In the 90th minute, Cissé sent in a cross which was headed out by a Hoffenheim defender, but t it was only half-cleared, and Dembele popped up to lash the bouncing ball into the left-hand corner. Hoffenheim looked shell-shocked. The final whistle arrived shortly afterwards and the draw means 1899 are without a win in four games since beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 in October.

On matchday 15 TSG travel to Leverkusen for a Friday evening encounter with Bayer 04, looking to rectify their poor form away from home.

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