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TSG reach the knock-out phase with win in Liberec
Personnel & tactics:
TSG striker Maximilian Beier made his first ever starting XI appearance for the club. Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made a total of six changes from the weekend. Kasim Adams came back into the side and formed a four-man defensive line alongside Melayro Bogarde, Håvard Nordveit and Ryan Sessegnon. Oliver Baumann played in goal. Sebastian Rudy returned to the starting line-up, joining Mijat Gaćinović, Florian Grillitsch and Christoph Baumgartner in midfield. Up front, Beier formed a striking partnership with João Klauss - another player who has not been a regular starter this season.
Hoeness made one change at half-time, with Robert Skov replacing Ryan Sessegnon at left back. A double substitution then followed in the 61st minute: on came Andrej Kramarić and Ihlas Bebou, off came Beier and Rudy.
After taking a 1-0 lead, Hoeness once again opted for a double change: Dennis Geiger and Diadie Samassékou came on to replace Grillitsch and goalscorer Baumgartner in the 78th minute.
Moment of the match:
As the final whistle was blown at 20:47 CET. TSG Hoffenheim have qualified for the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League after just four of their six group-stage matches.
Number of the game: 18
TSG once again found the back of the net in Europe, meaning they have now scored in every one of the 18 matches they've played in European competition - an achievement unmatched by any other German club.
Line-ups:
Slovan Liberec: Nguyen – Koscelnik, Jugas, Chalus (84, Rondic), Mikula – Kacharaba, Sadilek, Mara – Pesek (84, Matousek), Mosquera – Yusuf (70, Rabusic)
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Bogarde, Adams, Nordtveit, Sessegnon (46, Skov) – Rudy (61, Bebou) – Gaćinović, Grillitsch (79, Samassékou), Baumgartner (78, Geiger) – Beier (61, Kramarić), Klauss
Goals: 0-1 Baumgartner (77), 0-2 Kramarić (89, penalty)
Match highlights
The first real chance of the game: Adams gets his head on the end of a corner, the ball falls at the feet of Baumgartner. He gets a shot away, but can only hit the woodwork.
Klauss meets a Sessegnon cross with a powerful header, but Nguyen is able to palm the ball to safety over the bar.
Skov plays a dangerous cross in from the left. Nguyen flops at it in vain, but Klauss is unable to compose himself for a shot. The ball falls at the feet of Grillitsch, whose effort is blocked.
Bogarde drives a low cross into the box from the right wing. Baumagrtner fails to make a clean connection, but Nguyen in the Liberec goal is nonetheless unable to prevent it from going into the back of the net.
Big chance for Liberec: Rabusic drives into the box from the right and tries his luck. Baumann does well to make the save at his near post. Adams is able to deflect the rebound away to safety.
Mara uses his hand to defend a corner. Kramarić steps up to take the resultant penalty and calmly slots the ball into the right-hand corner.
Match facts and statistics »
