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Hoffenheim comfortably reach last 16
Personnel & tactics:
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made five changes to the starting XI that was beaten 4-0 away to FC Bayern Munich at the weekend. Kevin Vogt played alongside Stefan Posch and Chris Richards in a back three protecting goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. Kevin Akpoguma and David Raum kept their positions at full-back, while Sebastian Rudy and Angelo Stiller were drafted into the starting line-up to play in central midfield. Andrej Kramarić then played in the hole behind the new strikers Georginio Rutter and Munas Dabbur.
TSG made a double substitution in the 63rd minute, with Diadie Samassékou and Robert Skov coming on for Kramarić and Raum. Sargis Adamyan, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Mijat Gaćinović then replaced Dabbur, Rutter and Posch in the closing stages.
Moment of the match:
The goal for 3-1: After the visitors had reduced the deficit and the game threatened to become hectic, Angelo Stiller scored his first competitive goal for TSG via a lovely long-range strike to settle the nerves.
Number of the game: 2
The two own goals that Holstein Kiel scored in this game helped put TSG on the path to victory in the opening half.
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Posch (Gaćinović, 78), Vogt, Richards – Akpoguma, Rudy, Stiller, Raum (Skov, 63) – Kramarić (Samassékou, 63) – Rutter (Adamyan, 77), Dabbur (Bruun Larsen, 77)
Holstein Kiel: Gelios – Neumann (Neumann, 68), Wahl, Lorenz, van den Bergh – Erras (Sander, 68) – Mühling, Holtby (Skrzybski, 58) – Bartels, Pichler (Arp, 76), Reese (Mees, 58)
Goals: 1-0 van den Bergh (own goal, 3), 2-0 Wahl (own goal, 31), 2-1 Neumann (47), 3-1 Stiller (58), 4-1 Dabbur (72), 5-1 Bruun Larsen (84)
Match highlights
With barely 30 seconds gone, Kiel have their first chance: Reese crosses from the left towards the back post, but Bartels blazes the ball over on the volley.
Rutter is nicely played in behind down the left by Raum. The Frenchman powers through and attempts to square to Kramarić in the box. Kiels van den Bergh tries to clear it, but instead turns the ball into his own net. An early lead.
Free-kick to TSG from 18 metres: Kramarić shoots from a centre-left position at the side of the goal where the keeper is standing – but misses the target by inches.
Akpoguma passes the ball into the box towards Dabbur, who has his back to goal but gets the better of his marker. Kiel centre-back Wahl attempts to clear it but instead puts the ball into his own goal. 2-0 to TSG!
Dabbur goes past an opponent courtesy of a spectacular piece of skill and finds himself clean through on Gelios, only for the Kiel shot-stopper to make a strong save to stop it going to 3-0.
Following a short corner, Neumann has a shooting opportunity from a centre-left position in the penalty area. Baumann initially saves the shot, but the TSG keeper is powerless to prevent the second attempt from close range.
Lovely counter from TSG. Kramarić is played in down the left and beats Neumann. Upon reaching the box he squares to Rutter, who allows it to run through to the better-positioned Rudy, but the midfielder's shot flies wide.
Kiel are completely exposed at the back. Rudy has a clear path to goal but opts to square the ball and it eventually lands at the feet of the unmarked Dabbur, who fires well over the frame of the goal. That should've been 3-1.
Stiller is afforded too much space in front of the box and hits a left-footed shot from a centre-right position. Gelios gets to it but cannot stop the ball hitting the net. 3-1!
Rutter sends Kramarić on his way with a dream pass. The Croat is unmarked in front of goal but sends his shot wide of the far post.
What brilliant link-up play! Skov and Dabbur play a double one-two and the Israeli rounds off the move with a spectacular strike via the outside of his left boot that sails into the corner. Great goal.
TSG launch a counter from their own box. Bruun Larsen carries the ball from his own penalty area, using his pace to take it past all the Kiel players before slotting in for 5-1! Class goal.
Match facts and statistics »
