Hoffenheim comfortably beat APOEL 3-0

In front of a number of travelling Hoffenheim fans, the team started furiously. APOEL could hardly make their way out of their own half in the opening ten minutes, as Hoffenheim pushed their opponents hard and prevented them from gathering any momentum. As a result, TSG won the ball quickly and often, but the final ball was still leaving a lot to be desired. Regularly, dangerous situations were missed by a matter of centimetres.

Markus Gisdol rose from the bench after approximately ten minutes and changed the system of his team, although in truth the basic outlook didn't change much. The opposition's playmaker was closed down quickly, as Hoffenheim often won the ball back in dangerous areas. Eugen Polanski and central defender Jannik Vestergaard were verbally organising the team with loud and clear instructions on the pitch.

Penalty gives TSG the lead

The lead didn't come from a good ball or lovely build-up play, but from the penalty spot. After a corner, Vestergaard was fouled in the box and Sebastian Rudy converted the penalty into the bottom right-hand corner to give TSG the lead after 35 minutes.

After the break, Gisdol made six changes. APOEL started the second half better than the first and applied more pressure than before in the game. Soon enough though, Hoffenheim were pressing hard and with Sejad Salihovic in midfield, the attack always had variety and ideas.

Herdling and Elyounoussi up the ante

When Gisdol brought on Kai Herdling, Kevin Akpoguma and Robin Szarka shortly before the hour-mark, Jeremy Toljan was the only member of the original starting eleven left on the field. Despite the changes, there was no visible break in the game. Quite the opposite in fact, as TSG continued to play fast, attacking football and were rewarded with two goals. Herdling scored first, firing in a precise effort from the left-hand side into the far corner. Just under twenty minutes from time, Tarik Elyounoussi nipped in for the third goal of the afternoon, converting from a corner.

Markus Gisdol and his staff were happy after the game and there were high-fives all round. It had been another successful evening with yet another comfortable performance from Hoffenheim. “The fact that not everything is clicking at this point of preseason is understandable. The game today was an insightful test, and it offered the players the chance to apply some of the things we've been working on in training. Everyone was committed,” explained Gisdol after the final whistle.