FIRST TEAM
01/20/2018

TSG beaten by Leverkusen

TSG lose the opening home game of 2018 as Bayer Leverkusen run riot, putting four past Julian Nagelsmann’s men. Leon Bailey, Julian Baumgartlinger and Lucas Aralio put Heiko Herrlich’s side 3-0 up, Adam Szalai pulled one back for Hoffenheim but Alario made it four for the visitors with the last kick of the game.

Tactics and line-up

Julian Nagelsmann sent the following eleven players out to face Leverkusen: Oliver Baumann, Pavel Kaderabek, Ermin Bicakcic, Lukas Rupp, Florian Grillitsch, Steven Zuber, Benni Hübner, Kevin Vogt, Adam Szalai, Serge Gnabry and Dennis Geiger.

The team assumed its familiar 3-5-2 formation: Vogt, Hübner and Bicakcic forming the back three with Zuber and Kaderabek operating the flanks. Just like last week in Bremen, Grillitsch held the midfield behind Rupp and Geiger, while Gnabry and Szalai started as the front two.

56 minutes into the game at 2-0 down, Nagelsmann took action: bringing on Andrej Kramaric for Lukas Rupp, then minutes later Uth for Bicakcic. Julian Nagelsmann was throwing everything forward – TSG opted a 4-3-3 formation with Uth joining the strike force, Kramaric in attacking midfield. Just four minutes later, the boss made his final change: Nadiem Amiri replaced Florian Grillitsch, Dennis Geiger moved back into defensive midfield, while Amiri played alongside Kramaric. 

Moment of the Match:

In the 65th minute, the fourth official sprinted across the pitch towards the linesman on the far side, who was heading to meet him. Why? His flag was broken. Always something new

Number of the Match: 13 and 12

TSG had 13 shots on goal against Leverkusen, but the ball only went in once. The visitors had 12 shots, scoring four. This efficiency in front of goal decided the result. 

Match facts and statistics »

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