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Unlucky defeat with 10 men
Personnel & tactics:
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made two changes to the starting XI that beat KAA Gent away from home last time out. Oliver Baumann was protected by an unchanged back three of Stefan Posch, Kevin Vogt and Kevin Akpoguma. Sebastian Rudy moved across from central midfield to the right flank, while Ryan Sessegnon kept his place on the left. Dennis Geiger returned to the starting XI and played alongside Florian Grillitsch and Diadie Samassékou, while Munas Dabbur replaced Ihlas Bebou and partnered Ishak Belfodil in attack.
As he has done in recent matches, Rudy pushed up into midfield when TSG had possession and Posch took over his role on the right side of what then became a four-man defence. Sebastian Hoeness was forced to intervene for the first time on 34 minutes when Posch went off with an injury; Robert Skov came on in his stead. Akpoguma moved over to the right and Sessegnon moved to the left of the back three, with Skov lining up on the left flank.
TSG made a double substitution once Skov had been dismissed: Belfodil and Geiger made way for Sargis Adamyan and Christoph Baumgartner. The home side then switched to playing with a back four (62). Another double change followed in the 81st minute, with Mijat Gaćinović and João Klauss replacing Grillitsch and Dabbur.
Moment of the match:
The red card: TSG were hit on the counter-attack and Robert Skov was left with little choice but to commit a foul in the box. The Dane was handed his marching orders for the challenge on Sebastian Griesbeck and Max Kruse slotted home the ensuing spot-kick (60).
Number of the game: 1
TSG conceded a goal for the first time in three Bundesliga meetings with Union Berlin.
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Posch (Skov, 34), Vogt, Akpoguma – Rudy, Geiger (Baumgartner, 62), Samassékou, Grillitsch, Sessegnon – Dabbur (Klauss, 81), Belfodil (Adamyan, 62)
Union Berlin: Luthe – Friedrich, Hübner, Knoche – Ryerson (Bülter, 87), Andrich, Griesbeck (Gießelmann, 87), Lenz – Gentner (Teuchert, 83) – Awoniyi (Pohjanpalo, 77), Kruse
Goals: 0-1 Kruse (pen., 60), 1-1 Dabbur (80), 1-2 Pohjanpalo (85), 1-3 Teuchert (90+4)
Red card: Skov (59)
Match highlights
Union lose possession of the ball. Grillitsch plays in Dabbur, whose shot beats Luthe but bounces back off the post, spins across the face of goal and goes out of play for a goal kick. That should've been the opener.
Gentner flicks Kruse's corner towards the back post. Awoniyi makes the perfect run into the danger zone and is left with a tap-in from only three metres out, but misses the target. Lucky escape!
Skov makes an immediate impact going forward after coming off the bench. He breaks through down the left and whips the ball low into the middle, but Belfodil strikes the side-netting from a tight angle.
Griesbeck has a major opportunity out of nothing: Kruse crosses into the centre, where Griesbeck is afforded plenty of time. Baumann does well to save his close-range header with his foot, however.
Now it's TSG's turn to go forward. The combine nicely around the penalty area and Rudy touches the ball to Grillitsch, who shoots from 18 metres out – but his shot from a central position flies over the bar.
Skov is involved in another attacking play. He delivers in a perfect cross for Dabbur, whose goal-bound header is well saved by Luthe at full stretch to keep the scores level going into the break.
TSG are hit on the counter-attack. Skov fouls Griesbeck in the penalty area and is sent off. Kruse fires the ensuing penalty kick into the bottom right corner.
TSG deserve this equaliser! Baumgartner goes on a strong dribbling run to the edge of the opposition box and then tees up Adamyan. He squares the ball to Dabbur, who thunders it into the roof of the net.
That wasn't supposed to happen: Kruse is picked out in the box. The striker squares towards Pohjanpalo at the back post, whose shot from close-range is actually not on target but is unfortunately deflected in by Baumann.
Almost 3-1 there. Pohjanpalo goes clean through on Baumann's goal but strikes the upright.
TSG completely open up at the back. Kruse carries the ball 50 metres towards goal and then plays it across to Teuchert, who slots it home.
Another major opportunity to equalise. TSG put together some lovely link-up play in the box before Adamyan shoots at goal on the turn. But Knoche gets a foot to it and prevents the hosts from levelling at 2-2.
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