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Strong TSG miss out on win in Berlin
Personnel & tactics:
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made one change to the side that lost 2-0 to Molde FK: Andrej Kramarić came into the starting XI in place of Munas Dabbur. The three-man defensive line ahead of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was made up of Kevin Vogt, Florian Grillitsch and Chris Richards. Pavel Kadeřábek and Marco John lined up on the wings. Diadie Samassékou, Sebastian Rudy and Christoph Baumgartner formed a trio in midfield. Ihlas Bebou partnered Kramarić upfront.
TSG made their first change in the 67th minute: Ryan Sessegnon replaced John on the left flank. Hoeness opted to swap out his strikers towards the end of the game: on came Munas Dabbur and Sargis Adamyan in place of Kramarić and Bebou (90).
Moment of the match:
The 82nd minute: Kadeřábek looked to have scored the winning goal, but the celebrations were cut short: Grillitsch switched the play to Rudy, who then passed the ball on to Baumgartner. The Austrian teed up Kadeřábek, who fired a shot into the far-corner of the net. However, after a closer look through VAR, referee Tobias Stieler ruled the goal out: Baumgartner was a few inches offside.
Number of the game: 1
Union Berlin only managed a single effort on goal in the 90 minutes. Max Kruse made no mistake from the penalty spot in the ninth minute to give Union the lead.
Line-ups:
Union Berlin: Karius – Friedrich, Knoche, Schlotterbeck – Trimmel, Prömel (63, Gentner), Andrich, Lenz (46, Bülter) – Ingvartsen – Pohjanpalo (63, Musa), Kruse (74, Teuchert)
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Vogt, Grillitsch, Richards – Kadeřábek, Rudy, Samassekou, John (67, Sessegnon) – Baumgartner – Bebou (90, Adamyan), Kramarić (90, Dabbur)
Goals: 1-0 Kruse (9, penalty), 1-1 Schlotterbeck (29, own goal)
Match highlights
The first chance of the match leads to the opening goal. Trimmel is played in behind the Hoffenheim backline. Grillitsch gets there too late and fouls the Berlin captain. Kruse steps up to take the spotkick and blasts the ball home into the top-right corner.
Kramarić plays a delicate chipped pass into the path of the onrushing Bebou, who dinks the ball over Karius. Friedrich gets back to cover for his keeper and make the clearance on the line.
More chances for TSG. Grillitsch unleashes a thunderbolt from 25 metres out which Karius does well to save. Baumgartner gets a sight of goal from the resultant corner, but his shot flies wide of the right-hand post.
A Baumgartner header sends Bebou through on goal, but he is unable to poke the ball past the flailing arms of Karius from close range.
John slips a neat pass to Kramarić, who takes the ball in his stride and advances into the box before drilling a dangerous delivery across goal. Karius is able to get a glove to it, but the ball cannons back off his teammate Schlotterbeck - under pressure from Bebou - and into the back of the net.
Great work from Richards to find Kramarić in space. The Croatian slips a classy through ball into the path of Bebou. The TSG striker dinks the ball over Karius but it ends up drifting wide of the target.
A free-kick delivery causes chaos in the Berlin box. Sessegnon emerges with the ball and squares it to Baumgartner. His shot is blocked by Karius, but it looks to be looping into the goal before Friedrich is able to head it to safety.
Kadeřábek looks to have scored the winner, but VAR intervenes and the goal is ruled out: Grillitsch switches the play to Rudy, who passes it on to Baumgartner. The Austrian tees up Kadeřábek, who fires a shot into the far-corner of the net. However, a closer look through VAR leads to the goal being annulled - Baumgartner was a few inches offside.
Sessegnon plays a sharp cross in from the left. Schlotterbeck tries to clear ahead of Bebou, but he sends the ball towards his own goal. Karius is able to mop up the danger.
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