Fantastic Firmino shines
in DFB Cup triumph

Tactics and line-up:

Hoffenheim manager Markus Gisdol made five changes to the side who won 1-0 in the Bundesliga against SC Paderborn at the weekend. Jens Grahl took Oliver Baumann's regular place in goal, with Ermin Bicakcic, Jannik Vestergaard, Steven Zuber and Sven Schipplock all handed starts.

Gisdol stuck to the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation for the Cup match. The only tactical change to the starting line-up could be seen as the inclusion of recently recovered Sven Schipplock, who scored five in Hoffenheim's first-round match. And it certainly paid off…

Match highlights:

4th minute: A lively start in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena! An early chance for TSG to take the lead through Zuber's header from outside the box, but FSV goalkeeper Klandt manages to make the save, albeit scrappily.

11th minute: Hoffenheim continue to pile the pressure on the visitors, this time Schipplock's low pass in from the left finds Zuber in the centre, but Zuber is just too late and Klandt is able to get his hands on the ball.

16th minute: First attempt from Frankfurt! A confident strike from Dedic looks set to hit the back of the net, but Grahl is there to stop the guests taking the lead.

22nd minute: Best chance for the TSG through Vestergaard's shot from outside the box that goes through an FSV defender's legs, but once again falls into Klandt's grasp.

23rd minute: GOOOAAAALLL for Hoffenheim! 1-0: Firmino shimmies past two Frankfurt defenders, passes to Schipplock on the left who produces a powerful right-footed strike into the back of the FSV net. His sixth in the competition.

29th minute: Strobl manages to clear the ball at the vital moment. An onside Mario Engels was one-on-one with our keeper Grahl, but Strobl managed to make the clearance and deny the away side a corner.

41st minute: Oliver Baumann brought on for Jens Grahl, who is left unconscious after being kneed in the head by Süle following a dangerous spell of play from Frankfurt.

45th minute: GOOAAALLLL for Hoffenheim! Firmino's second hand in a goal of the night this time finds Vestergaard in the centre, who confidently fires the ball into the back of the net. TSG leave Frankfurt trailing by two in the third minute of injury-time.

56th minute: GOOOOAAALLLL for Hoffenheim! A world-class goal from Firmino. The Brazilian channels his inner Ronaldo and scores from an overhead kick – just amazing!

65th minute: TSG continue to dominate the match without giving Frankfurt the chance to get anywhere near Baumann. Vestergaard attempts to get his second of the match through a header, but Klandt is able to make a comfortable save.

71st minute: GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL for Hoffenheim! It's a goal fest in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena! Anthony Modeste is barely on the pitch for ten seconds and scores Hoffenheim's fourth of the match! The Frenchman heads home from Rudy's corner.

80th minute: A consolation goal for Frankfurt. André Schembri heads the ball in at the near-post, ricocheting off of Baumann's head and goes over the line – so close to keeping a clean-sheet.

90th minute: GOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL for Hoffenheim! Rudy finds Firmino in the centre, who coolly slots the ball into the net to make the final score 5-1. What a match for the Brazilian!

Moment of the match:

Monsieur Modeste strikes quicker than his shadow. The Frenchman was substituted on, trotted into the box and headed Sebastian Rudy's corner into the back of the net. The consequent celebration? Ecstatic. In second place – Roberto Firmino's overhead kick. In third – Vincenzo Grifo putting the corner out of play after Jens Grahl's injury. Fair play at its finest. An evening with three big moments.

Number of the match: 4

The night was Roberto Firmino's. He assisted the first two goals, scored the third through an overhead kick and scored the fifth in the closing minute, four scoring-points in total.

Match facts and statistics »