Narrow defeat to FSV Frankfurt

New Hoffenheim signing Anthony Modeste was given his debut in the starting eleven. The game proved to be a disjointed and physical affair right from the start. The first real chance of the game fell to the hosts but Kapllani fired over in the eighth minute from 15 yards out. Hoffenheim needed a good quarter of an hour to get into the game against a second-division side who start their league campaign later this week. Captain Andreas Beck and Sejad Salihovic both missed chances to give the away team the lead.

It remained a game dominated by tackles and, soon afterwards, the hosts were given a free kick around 20 yards from goal. Kapllani curled the ball past the right side of the wall to put FSV Frankfurt ahead with less than ten minutes left in the first half.

Markus Gisdol brought four new faces into the game for the second 45 minutes. Koen Casteels, David Abraham, Fabian Johnson and Kevin Volland replaced Jens Grahl, Stefan Thesker, Robin Szarka and Jeremy Toljan. Hoffenheim were in the game more but survived a scare when Frankfurt hit the outside of the post shortly after the restart.

The game shifted itself towards Frankfurt's own half as the hosts brought on Chhunly Pagenburg for Markus Ziereis. For TSG, Kevin Akpoguma, Andreas Ludwig and Tobias Strobl came on for Beck, Sebastian Rudy and Eugen Polanski. Six minutes later, Johnson had picked up a knock and had to be substituted; Patrick Schorr was the man to replace him on the left wing. With just over twenty minutes left in the game, Volland failed to get on the end of Schorr's cross as Hoffenheim looked for an equaliser.

Gisdol made further changes, giving game time to Vincenzo Grifo, Kai Herdling, Kenan Karaman and Niklas Süle, who came on for Schipplock, Modeste, Salihovic and Jannik Vestergaard. Akpoguma missed a great chance to score from a promising position before Strobl's long-range effort was tipped over by Frankfurt goalkeeper Patric Klandt. Volland missed one final opportunity inside the last eight minutes as Hoffenheim ran out of chances to change the scoreline.

TSG set off on their training camp to Leogang on Monday after a training-free Sunday.