Intensive friendlies in Bad Wimsbach

"We were very satisfied with the performance in the first friendly. We created a lot of chances and ordinarily we should've won by a clear margin. But one must also see that the lads are tired after a week of training. A big compliment to the team that played against Trabzonspor too. They fought superbly. The boys weren't satisfied in the changing rooms because they didn't get the win. That's a good sign," said Alfred Schreuder afterwards. 

TSG could have opened the scoring through Vincenzo Grifo 40 seconds into that first friendly against Verona, but the Italy international fired narrowly wide after receiving a superb ball from Ihlas Bebou. Two opportunities fell to Dennis Geiger in what remained of the first period, although the midfielder's effort from 20 metres out was kept out by the crossbar in the 10th minute and he was then denied by a last-ditch block in the 35th minute.

Ilay Elmkies replaced Geiger in midfield at the break and Hoffenheim continued to dominate once the second half was underway, but they squandered chances to go ahead. One of the best opportunities came in the 71st minute, when Grifo fired narrowly wide from 16 metres out.

The Pforzheim native had another opportunity to claim a late winner in the final minute of the match when Robert Zulj flicked the ball into his path, but despite beating the goalkeeper in a one-on-one, the 26-year-old could not steer his effort on target from a narrow angle. The referee's whistle sounded soon afterwards and the first friendly ended goalless.

Two-goal deficit overhauled against Trabzonspor

Head coach Alfred Schreuder fielded an entirely different XI for the second friendly against Trabzonspor, and TSG dominated the opening minutes much as they had done against Verona. But it was the Turkish side who went ahead in the 20th minute, Yusuf Yazici firing home from almost 20 metres out. Leonardo Bittencourt had a chance to level just five minutes later, but he failed to get the better of Trabzonspor shot-stopper Cakir in a one-on-one.

TSG were made to pay for their profligacy a minute later, with Trabzonspor doubling their lead when a shot from Abdülkadir from almost 25 metres out was deflected past a powerless Philipp Pentke. But Hoffenheim found themselves on equal terms by the time the half-time whistle sounded, with Adam Szlai slotting home on 42 minutes and Nadiem Amiri adding a second following a short corner right on the stroke of half-time.  

Late leveller

TSG continued where they had left off and took the lead three minutes into the second period when Szalai rounded off a lovely counter-attacking move involving Konstantinos Stafylidis and Amiri with a volley into the corner.

Philipp Pentke had to be substituted off with an injury with 20 minutes to go. Alexander Stolz took his place between the sticks, only to concede with five minutes to go as Yusuf Sari scored from a free-kick to salvage a 3-3 draw.

TSG will return to Hoffenheim on Friday afternoon and will next be in action on Saturday 3 August, when they take on Spaniards Sevilla as part of their season opening event.

Line-up against Verona: Baumann – Posch, Vogt, Hübner (Bogarde, 70) – Kaderabek, Grillitsch (Ribeiro, 70), Geiger (Elmkies, 46), Zuber – Baumgartner (Beier, 76), Bebou (Zulj, 70), Grifo

Line-up against Trabzonspor: Pentke (Stolz, 70) – Nordtveit, Akpoguma, Bicakcic – Brenet, Rupp, Amiri (Ribeiro, 62), Stafylidis – Bittencourt (Khan, 73), Szalai, Adamyan (Beier, 80)

Goals: 0-1 Yazici (20), 0-2 Abdülkadir (26), 1-2 Szalai (42) 2-2 Amiri (45), 3-2 Szalai (48), 3-3 Sari (85)

Match facts and statistics »