TSG romp to victory over Heerenveen

TSG Hoffenheim will begin their second training camp, which starts tomorrow, on a high note after defeating SC Heerenveen 8-2 (5-0) in a friendly. Kerem Demirbay, Joelinton, Nadiem Amiri, Leonardo Bittencourt, Adam Szalai, Vincenzo Grifo and David Otto (two) scored the goals as Julian Nagelsmann's charges ran riot at 1. FC Bruchsal's stadium.

TSG were the dominant side from the beginning against the Dutch top-flighters and broke the deadlock through Kerem Demirbay on the six-minute mark, the 25-year-old scoring with a direct free-kick from around 20 metres out. That lead was doubled only six minutes later when Joelinton scored after being set up by Leonardo Bittencourt.

Nadiem Amiri then made it 3-0 when he slotted home a 19th-minute penalty after Nico Schulz had been fouled in the box, with Bittencourt adding a fourth three minutes later: a Schulz free-kick was beaten away by the Dutch shot-stopper, but the new signing from Cologne pounced on the rebound to slot home. Adam Szali added his name to the growing list of scorers on the stroke of half-time, netting with a spectacular flick after being set up by Schulz (45).

Adams makes TSG bow

The coaching staff made a number of changes throughout the second period, fielding a total of 19 players and leaving only Kevin Vogt and Joelinton to play the full 90 minutes. Among the substitutions was new signing Kasim Adams, who came on to make his TSG debut.

The match became a more subdued affair in the second period, though fellow new boy Vincenzo Grifo did add a sixth on the hour-mark when he converted a spot-kick after David Otto had been fouled. Heerenveen grabbed a consolation soon afterwards when Henk Veerman made it 6-1 (67).

But the pace stepped up again in the closing stages, with David Otto notching a late brace before Heerenveen scored a second deep into stoppage time.

Windischgarsten on Sunday

"When you win by such a margin and have as much fun playing football as we did today, then obviously you draw a very positive conclusion," said new signing Vincenzo Grifo, adding: "I think that a lot of things worked out well." TSG coach Julian Nagelsmann was of a similar frame of mind. "I think that we played a very good game, both defensively and offensively. We won the ball back well many times, launched excellent counter-attacks and posed a lot of danger in front of goal − very good in all respects."

Sunday sees the TSG Hoffenheim contingent head to Upper Austrian town of Windischgarsten, where they will be based for their second pre-season training camp until 5 August.

 

TSG line-up: Baumann (Kobel, 46), Kaderabek (Pires, 63), Bicakcic (Hoogma, 63), Demirbay (Nordtveit, 63), Bittencourt (Grifo, 46), Schulz (Brenet, 46), Amiri (Zulj, 63), Vogt, Szalai (Otto, 46), Joelinton, Posch (Adams, 46)

Goals: 1-0 Demirbay (6), 2-0 Joelinton (12), 3-0 Amiri (19), 4-0 Bittencourt (22), 5-0 Szalai (45), 6-0 Grifo (62), 6-1 Veerman (67), 7-1 Otto (90), 8-1 Otto (90+2), 8-2 Vlap (90+3)

Match facts and statistics »