FIRST TEAM
03/04/2012

Late Podolski strike denies 1899

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim were held to their seventh consecutive draw at home in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena today, as a late equaliser from German international Lukas Podolski gave them a 1-1 draw against 1. FC Köln.

Hoffenheim manager Markus Babbel was forced into one change to the side that won 2-1 at Wolfsburg last weekend. Daniel Williams was booked in that game and had to sit this one out through suspension, so Tobias Weis came into midfield to replace him.

It was a predictably quiet opening to the game, with both sets of players keeping things tight at the back. Hoffenheim looked solid in defence and their two centre backs Marvin Compper and Jannik Vestergaard kept Köln's front pairing of Podolski and Slawomir Peszko quiet. On 13 minutes, TSG thought they had taken the lead through Boris Vukcevic, enjoying an extended run in the team of late. He went off celebrating, but his joy was short-lived as the goal was ruled out for offside. Referee Robert Hartmann deemed that Vukcevic had been in an advanced position of the last Köln defender when Roberto Firmino's pass to him was played.

Compper heads home

Vukcevic went close with another effort from distance a few minutes later, but Hoffenheim eventually got the goal their dominance warranted just after the half-hour mark. Sebastian Rudy delivered a telling free-kick into the box and Compper rose highest to plant a superb header into the corner (31'). The goal gave the home side a visible lift and they didn't let up in their search for a second. Firmino tested keeper Michael Rensing with a good header, before Srdjan Lakic, still searching for his first goal for the club, was unlucky with a pot-shot from 20 yards (40, 42'). The sides went into the half time break with Hoffenheim a goal to the good and deservedly so.

Köln introduced a second striker for the second half, bringing in Chong Tese in an attempt to put more pressure on the Hoffenheim backline. But neither the substitution nor the half time interval did little to change the flow of the game, with 1899 continuing to boss proceedings. Vestergaard had another header saved by Rensing, while Lakic and Rudy were inches away from touching in Andreas Beck's dangerous cross (53'). Then came the chance that would have potentially have sealed three points for Hoffenheim. Sven Schipplock, on as a substitute for the injured Lakic, was first denied by a great Rensing save and then struck the crossbar with the rebound (62').

Podolski punishes TSG

After that reprieve, Köln were able to establish a foothold in the game with a solid 15-minute period. Suddenly it was Hoffenheim looking stretched, as Weis and Beck were both punished with yellow cards, the latter's meaning he will miss the game against FC Bayern Munich next week. The match entered its final stages and with just a 1-0 lead, Hoffenheim were always vulnerable. Köln hadn't offered too much going forward, but with nine minutes to play, they found themselves level. Miso Brecko's cross from the right was expertly controlled by Podolski and his shot gave Tom Starke no chance in the Hoffenheim goal (81').

1899 had been pegged back to 1-1 after dominating the game for so long, and they once again gave it their all in the search for a second goal. Substitute Peniel Mlapa looked to have managed it when he found space in the box to shoot, but his effort drifted agonisingly wide of the far post (83'). As the clock wound down, the home side were unable to create any more pressure on the Köln goal, and the game petered out into a frustrating 1-1 draw.

Hoffenheim's seven consecutive draws at home is a Bundesliga record. Their next game in the Bundesliga is a daunting trip to German record title-winners FC Bayern Munich.

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