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Youthful Hoffenheim side shines against Ludogorets
Personnel and tactics
Julian Nagelsmann’s starting eleven for TSG’s final Europa League game of the 2017/2018 season was as follows: Gregor Kobel, Ermin Bicakcic, Havard Nordtveit, Eugen Polanski, Robert Zulj, Justin Hoogma, Philipp Ochs, Felix Passlack, Simon Lorenz, Robin Hack and Alexander Rossipal.
The team set up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Bicakcic, Lorenz and Hoogma making up the back three in front of Kobel in net. Alexander Rossipal and Felix Passlack were on the flanks in midfield, and dropped back to support the defence when the opposition had possession. The more experienced pairing of Nordtveit and Polanski operated in central midfield. A dangerous combination of Hack on the left, Ochs on the right and Zulj through the middle rounded off the side.
It didn’t take long for Nagelsmann to change his tactical tune, however, as Nordtveit remained in defensive midfield while Polanski moved further forward into more of an attacking role. Nagelsmann was forced into his first substitution in the 56th minute as well, when the brilliant Ochs was forced off with injury. Meris Skenderovic replaced him in attack. The second change came in the 70th minute, when Zulj made way for Johannes Bühler. The final change came a mere six minutes later - David Otto came on for Robin Hack up front.
Moment of the match:
A mad minute in the closing stages. A Hoffenheim free-kick was whipped into the Ludogorets area towards a waiting Gregor Kubel, who was up from his own position in the other goal. The ball would finally fall to Meris Skenderovic, who missed the ball completely. Then the visitors countered. Kobel sprinted back in desperation with Passlack doing the same. With the dying seconds of the game winding down and the ball rolling towards an open goal, Passlack managed to get back in the nick of time and clear the ball into the stands. Football at its breathless best.
Number of the game: 23 years and 34 days
That was the average age of the Hoffenheim side on Thursday night. No TSG has had a younger average age since the 2009 season.
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