TSG go down 3-1 in the Augsburg snow

Tactics and line-up:

Manager Markus Gisdol was without Niklas Süle (ACL tear) and Jin-Su Kim (Asian Cup) so was therefore forced into re-shuffling his back four once more. David Abraham partnered Ermin Bicakcic at the heart of the defence, with Tobias Strobl deployed at left back and captain Andreas Beck on the right of the back four.

TSG began the game in a slightly different formation to what everyone has become accustomed to. The inclusion of Sejad Salihovic saw him play as part a 3-man midfield alongside Pirmin Schwegler and Eugen Polanski. Winger Tarik Elyounoussi was brought on in the second half, which saw Markus Gisdol revert back to the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Elyounoussi on the right, Kevin Volland on the left and Roberto Firmino sitting in his normal role just off the striker. Anthony Modeste was given the nod to start, but was brought off for Adam Szalai in the second half, with Sven Schipplock also coming on in the closing stages as TSG were searching for an equaliser.

Match highlights:

16th minute:Roberto Firmino with the first shot on target for TSG but his effort from just outside the box is straight at Manninger in the Augsburg goal.

25th minute:BAUMANN!! Great double save from our number 1, as he first denies Baier's close-range shot, before reacting well to keep out the rebound from Bobadilla.

39thminute:GOAL for Augsburg. 1-0: After a relatively quiet first half, Halil Altintop gives the hosts the lead as he heads in Pierre Emile Hojbjerg's cross.

42nd minute:GOAL for Augsburg. 2-0: Werner whips in a free kick from the right-hand side but it evades everyone, including Oliver Baumann, and ends up in the back of the net.

45th minute:GOOOOAAALLLL for TSG!!! 2-1: Three goals in six minutes and Hoffenheim find a way back into the game just before the break. It comes from Brazil international Roberto Firmino, who gets his head on Pirmin Schwegler's free kick and it finds the top right-hand corner.

67th minute:Kevin Volland evades the offside trap and puts in a cross for substitute Adam Szalai, but the striker is unable to keep his header down as it goes just over the bar.

68th minute:TSG get lucky as goalscorer Werner is unable to get contact on a dangerous cross from Bobadilla.

89th minute:Could this be the last chance for Hoffenheim? Firmino's corner is half cleared as far as Schipplock, who tries his luck from distance but is unable to find the target.

92nd minute:SO CLOSE!!! TSG go incredibly close to equalising in injury time but Abraham's goal-bound header is brilliantly saved by Manninger!

93rd minute:GOAL for Augsburg. 3-1: Bobadilla settles the game for the hosts. Augsburg hit Hoffenheim on the counter and the striker makes no mistake with a well-placed finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

Moment of the match:

The spontaneous changing of the ball in the 30th minute. The snow was falling so heavily in Augsburg that there was no alternative. Goodbye white ball, hello yellow ball, which went a lot better with TSG's kit. It was a good choice as it was a lot easier for everyone to see. The white ball made a return later in the game after the snow had stopped.

Number of the match: 48

There were a lot of fouls committed in Augsburg. That was mainly down to the weather and it was not pretty football at the SGL Arena.

Match facts and statistics »