Narrow suffer defeat against Köln

Tactics and line-up

Markus Gisdol made two changes to the TSG side today following the mid-week cup tie in Dortmund. Nadiem Amiri started in midfield, with Pirmin Schwegler out injured, and Jin-Su Kim returned at left back alongside Tobias Strobl, Ermin Bicakcic and Andreas Beck in defence, with Oliver Baumann behind them in goal. Eugen Polanski, Sebastian Rudy and Amiri made up the midfield three, with an attacking row of Kevin Volland, Roberto Firmino and Sven Schipplock.

The two full backs pushed high up the pitch in a 4-3-3 formation, while Rudy dropped deep to bring the ball out from defence. Steven Zuber's introduction in the second half, replacing Amiri, gave TSG more attacking impetus. At 2-0 down with 30 minutes to go, Gisdol went all out attack, bringing on Modeste and Szalai for Schipplock and Kim.

Hoffenheim pushed forward desperately in the final 15 minutes, with Tobias Strobl spending more time in Köln's penalty area than TSG's.

Match highlights

1st minute: Almost a dream start for TSG as Firmino hits the post from close range after 42 seconds! Schipplock takes the ball down brilliantly and crosses it low into the Brazilian, whose close-range effort comes off the woodwork. Immediately after that Volland delivers a teasing low cross from the left, but the stretching Schipplock can't quite get a toe on it for 1-0. Electric start!

12th minute: Hoffenheim come close again after great build up play from Amiri on the right sets up Volland for a one-on-one with Köln keeper Horn, who comes quickly off his line to block the shot.

18th minute: PENALTY. Bicakcic is given a yellow card after bringing down Osako in the TSG penalty box to give 1. FC Köln the opportunity to take the lead...

20st minute: GOAL. Lehmann slots the penalty straight down the middle past Baumann to open the scoring for the hosts. TSG are unlucky to go 1-0 down.

22nd minute: Almost an immediate response from the away side. Rudy hammers a 25-yard free kick into the wall and chips the rebound over to Firmino, whose low, volleyed effort is well held by Horn.

39th minute: TSG survive a scare after Baumann saves a point-blank effort from Ujah, who can only find the post with the rebound. Phew!

53rd minute: GOAL. Ujah doubles the lead for the hosts. TSG haven't really looked like scoring in the second half and Köln punish them after Osako's through ball finds Ujah in the box to fire it past the helpless Baumann.

69th minute: PENALTY and RED CARD! Substitute Modeste is played through on goal and is brought down in the box by Olkowski, who is sent off for the challenge.

70th minute: GOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!! No nonsense from Polanski who drills the ball over the diving Horn. 20 minutes to go, come on TSG!!!!

72nd minute: Ooof! Modeste nearly equalises with an exquisite bicycle kick that almost brushes the frame of the Köln goal.

78nd minute: GOAL. Hector makes it 3-1 to the hosts as his clever solo run and shot trickles into the net, somewhat fortunately, after a deflection off Bicakcic. Terrible luck. 

87th minute: GOOAAALLLLL!! Surely not?! Modeste leaps like a salmon and heads in brilliantly from Rudy's corner to pull one back for TSG.

Moment of the match

What an intense game! Markus Gisdol couldn't watch as Eugen Polanski converted TSG's 70th-minute penalty. The manager looked straight at the ground and only knew his team had scored from his assistant's reaction.

Number of the match: 62

TSG played well in Köln, having 62% possession over the 90 minutes. On top of that, they had an 82% pass-completion rate, something that only the league's top sides have managed. They also had 24 shots in total, but unfortunately it all counts for nothing.

Match facts and statistics »