Firmino fireworks puts TSG halfway towards safety

After Hoffenheim's sensational victory against Borussia Dortmund on the last day of the Bundesliga season, Markus Gisdol made only one change to his starting eleven. Stefan Thesker came in for Patrick Ochs with Fabian Johnson moving into midfield.ӬӬ

Having given themselves a chance to stay in the top flight, Hoffenheim knew that in Kaiserslautern they were facing a side keen to return to a division they too felt at home in. Less than five minutes in and the away side were pushing for an opener. A slip by David Abraham allowed Erwin Hoffer the chance at goal but Koen Casteels, still in the same remarkable form as last weekend, kept out the shot with a superb diving save. It was a rude start to the home game for TSG but they soon gathered themselves and went in search of their own lead.

Firmino leads the way

Hoffenheim won a free kick just outside the right-hand side of the box and the ever-dependable Sejad Salihovic delivered a ball into the area which Roberto Firmino side-footed into the bottom corner to take the lead from their first chance on goal. An early advantage settled Gisdol's men and their confidence visibly increased as they sought to take complete control of the game. The visitors battled to try and test Casteels but couldn't get past Hoffenheim's midfield.ӬӬ

Soon enough Hoffenheim were back attacking and when Kevin Volland showed great composure to slip Andi Beck an overlapping pass, Hoffenheim's second goal followed when Firmino gratefully tapped in from a yard out. 2-0 up inside the opening half an hour and TSG had put themselves in the best possible position. Less than five minutes before the break, Hoffer fired over on the volley to act as a warning but it proved to be nothing more than that as Gisdol's men took a healthy lead into the interval.ӬӬ

Idrissou strikes back

With the pressure resting on the shoulders of the away side, Hoffenheim had to deal with a hectic opening to the second half. Long shots and an increased amount of hustle in midfield saw FCK grow braver. Two minutes before the hour, Mohammadou Idrissou latched onto a good through ball from Alexander Baumjohann to round Casteels and give the away side both some hope and the much coveted away goal.

The goal thwarted Hoffenheim's confidence and Kaiserslautern started to feed off it as they sought a second. Gisdol recognised this, brought on Sven Schipplock and two minutes later the super sub restored Hoffenheim's two-goal lead. Having nipped in to win the ball in attack, Schipplock received a pass from Firmino which he duly curled in past Sippel. TSG were buoyed in turn by their goal and when Volland crossed for Johnson, the American missed a great chance to make it 4-1 as he headed over with the goal gaping.ӬӬ

Hoffenheim on top

As the time ticked down in Sinsheim, the home side stayed in control. A nasty clash of faces between Casteels and Jannik Vestergaard saw the pair receive treatment before carrying on as FCK tried to up their game ahead of the final ten minutes. The visitors grew increasingly frustrated in the latter stages of the match as a number of their efforts late on in the game were flagged for offside.ӬӬ

Hoffenheim held on to their two-goal lead, a result which leaves them halfway towards safety and another season in Germany's top flight. 90 more minutes of the same kind of performance on Monday, May 27th at 20.30 CET and Hoffenheim will have done what many deemed impossible. They require full concentration though, as the Fritz-Walter-Stadion is certainly an intimidating place to go.

Jonathan Harding

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim:Casteels – Beck, Abraham, Vestergaard, Thesker – Polanski, Rudy (65' Schipplock) – Salihovic (86' Süle), Johnson, Volland – Roberto Firmino

1. FC Kaiserslautern: Sippel – Dick, Torrejon, Heintz, Löwe – Orban, Borysiuk – Weiser (76' Bunjaku), Baumjohann – Hoffer (68' Riedel), Idrissou (90' Zellner)

Goals: 1-0 Firmino (11'), 2-0 Firmino (29'), 2-1 Idrissou (58'), 3-1 Schipplock (67')ӬӬ

Yellow cards: Salihovic, Beck РHeintz, Torrejon, BaumjohannӬ

Attendance: 30,135Ӭ

Referee: Dr. Felix Brych

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