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TSG eliminated after shoot-out thriller
Personnel and tactics:
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made five changes to the side that defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1: Kevin Akpoguma, Sebastian Rudy, Mijat Gaćinović, Ihlas Bebou and Manus Dabbur came into the starting line-up to replace Stefan Posch, Dennis Geiger, Florian Grillitsch, Robert Skov and Ishak Belfodil. The four-man defensive line in front of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was made up of Akpoguma, Kevin Vogt, Håvard Nordtveit and Ryan Sessegnon. Gaćinović was joined by Sebastian Rudy, Christoph Baumgartner and Andrej Kramarić in midfield. Two substitutes from the Mönchengladbach match, Dabbur and Bebou, formed a striking partnership up front.
TSG were forced to make a substitution in the 34th minute after Nordtveit pulled up with an injury; Kasim Adams came on to replace him in central defence. Robert Skov entered the field of play in the 57th minute, with Baumgartner coming off. 20 minutes later, the strikers were replaced: Sargis Adamyan and Ishak Belfodil came on for Bebou and Dabbur. Melayro Bogarde replaced Gaćinović in midfield in extra time (111th minute).
Moment of the match:
The fifth Hoffenheim penalty: Kevin Vogt had the chance to win the game, but the defender sent his spot-kick soaring over the bar.
Number of the game: 1
Kevin Akpoguma's header to make it 2-2 was his first goal for TSG Hoffenheim at first-team level.
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Akpoguma, Vogt, Nordtveit (34, Adams), Sessegnon – Rudy – Gaćinović (111, Bogarde), Baumgartner (57, Skov) – Kramarić – Bebou (77, Adamyan), Dabbur (77, Belfodil)
SpVgg Greuther Fürth: Burchert – Meyerhöfer, Jaeckel, Bauer, Raum – Stach (106, Tillman) – Seguin, Green (75, Sarpei) – Ernst – Leweling (86, Hrgota), Nielsen (75, Abiama)
Goals: 1-0 Kramarić (13), 1-1 Ernst (21), 1-2 Meyerhöfer (46), 2-2 Akpoguma (49)
Penalties: 3-2 Kramarić scores, Bauer fires over the bar, 4-2 Rudy scores, 4-3 Raum scores, 5-3 Skov scores, 5-4 Seguin scores, 6-4 Adamyan scores, 6-5 Sarpei scores, Vogt fires over the bar, 6-6 Hrgota scores, Bogarde saved by Burchert, Ernst hits the post, 7-6 Akpoguma scores, 7-7 Jaeckel scores, 8-7 Sessegnon scores, 8-8 Tillman scores, Adams hits the post, 8-9 Meyerhöfer scores
Notable event: Baumann saves a potentially match-winning penalty from Seguin (90+4).
Match highlights
A brilliant cross into the middle from Gaćinović. Baumgartner takes the ball down and unleashes a shot, which flies just over the bar.
A Burchert pass lands at the feet of Bebou. The striker uses his pace to drive forward before squaring the ball to Kramarić, who has an easy finish from close range to give TSG the lead.
A long-range shot from Fürth looks harmless enough, but it lands at the feet of Ernst. Everyone seems to think the Fürth player is offside, but Sessegnon was playing him onside on the left. He has an easy finish to make it 1-1.
A big chance for Fürth to take the lead: Leweling finds himself in acres of space in the box, the ball is played towards him but his header from six metres out grazes the top of the bar. A big let-off there for TSG.
Vogt plays a nice ball up the park towards Gaćinović, who exchanges passes with Akpoguma before firing a shot just wide of the target.
Fürth find the back of the net just 34 seconds after the restart. Nielsen receives the ball in the box and slips a pass inside to Meyerhöfer, who slots the ball home to give the guests a 2-1 lead.
What a start to the second half: Rudy dinks a free-kick delivery into the box, where several TSG players are wide open. Akpoguma powers a header into the net to bring the teams level at 2-2.
That had to be the lead! Kramarić plays a delicate cross into the box. Rudy has a free header, but he can't direct it under the bar. Dabbur was better positioned just behind him and surely would have scored had the ball come to him.
A big chance to snatch a late winner! Kramarić sends a glancing header towards the far post, where Belfodil just fails to make a connection.
Unbelievable scenes! A needless challenge from Sessegnon sends Hrgota tumbling in the box. Baumann saves the penalty taken by Seguin and Vogt then sprints back to clear the rebound off the line. Fantastic play from the pair of them.
Fürth with another chance to go in front. The ball is played in from the left and arrives at the feet of Abiama, who gets a shot off from close range. Baumann makes himself big and diverts the ball to safety.
TSG come so close to making it 3-2! Kramarić launches a counter-attack. The Croatian gets the ball back from Belfodil and tries his luck from long range. His effort misses the target by mere inches. Burchert would have had no chance with that one.
After a dramatic series of penalties, it's the 18th spot-kick that proves decisive. Meyerhöfer steps up and fires Fürth into the Round of 16 to conclude a shoot-out in which both sides had chances to win it.
Match facts and statistics »
