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TSG win thriller in Fürth
Personnel & tactics:
Sebastian Hoeness had to make a late-notice change to the side that beat RB Leipzig 2-0 last time out, with Philipp Pentke replacing the ill Oliver Baumann between the sticks. Stefan Posch, Florian Grillitsch, who wore the captain's armband, and Kevin Vogt formed the back three, while Kevin Akpoguma and David Raum kept their places at wing-back. Dennis Geiger and Diadie Samassékou pulled the strings in midfield, with Ihlas Bebou, Munas Dabbur and Georginio Rutter charged with creating the attacking threat up front.
TSG made a double substitution in the 57th minute, bringing on Andrej Kramarić and Angelo Stiller for Akpoguma and Samassékou. Bebou then moved over to the right flank. Immediately after going 4-2 up, Chris Richards was brought on for Dabbur to provide stability (62). With minutes remaining, the goalscorers – Rutter and Bebou – were given a standing ovation as they made their way off: Håvard Nordtveit and Sargis Adamyan came on in their stead (83).
Moment of the match:
The equaliser at 1-1: Fürth's Timothy Tillmann hit the post from a tight angle on the left. The ball stayed in play and TSG launched a counter that culminated in the equaliser. David Raum played the ball down the left to Georginio Rutter, who set up Ihlas Bebou with a lovely cross. The forward slid in to tap the ball home from close range and draw his side level. It was to prove the turning point in the match.
Number of the game: 3
Ihlas Bebou scored a Bundesliga hat-trick for the first time in his career. The striker levelled at 1-1, and then made it 4-2 and 6-3.
Line-ups:
SpVgg Greuther Fürth: Funk – Asta (Barry, 70), Bauer, Sarpei, Meyerhöfer – Christiansen – Tillmann (Dudziak, 79), Nielsen (Griesbeck, 87) – Leweling, Abiama (Itten, 70), Hrgota
TSG Hoffenheim: Pentke – Posch, Grillitsch, Vogt – Akpoguma (Geiger, 57), Samassékou (Stiller, 57), Raum – Bebou, Dabbur (Adamyan, 83), Rutter (Nordtveit, 83)
Goals: 1-0 Leweling (22), 1-1 Bebou (32), 1-2 Rutter (40), 2-2 Tillmann (46), 2-3 Rutter (57), 2-4 Bebou (62), 2-5 Meyerhöfer (own goal, 66), 3-5 Hrgota (68), 3-6 Bebou (80)
Match highlights
The second ball falls to Dabbur following a corner-kick. Standing with his back to goal, he turns well and gets a shot on target but Funk makes a good save.
TSG execute a free-kick routine, and Raum spots the unmarked Akpoguma on the right. He brings the ball down and cuts it back perfectly towards Dabbur, but the striker does not connect properly from a promising position and Funk easily saves.
The ball somehow finds its way through to Dabbur following a corner and he shoots, but Funk shows strong reactions to make the stop and again prevent Hoffenheim from going ahead.
Hoffenheim miss their chances, then Fürth score: possession is turned over and the ball is played from the left into the middle, where the unmarked Leweling catches Pentke wrong-footed in the box. 1-0 Fürth.
Tillman strikes the upright from a narrow angle following a Fürth attack. But the ball remains in play and TSG counter, with Raum playing in Rutter down the left. The Frenchman plays a perfect ball into the path of Bebou, who slides in to meet the cross and pushes the ball over the line from close range.
That's the way to do it: TSG show great vision following a corner. Rather than going for goal from 25 metres, Vogt spots the unmarked Raum on the left. The Germany international crosses into the centre, where Rutter heads home from close range for 2-1.
TSG are caught napping at the start of the second half: Hrgota has too much space on the left and passes to Tillmann, who does not hesitate and levels at 2-2.
Careless loss of possession in the build-up. Hrgota then gets the better of Posch and gets a shot away, but Pentke saves the first attempt and subsequently blocks the follow-up at the near post.
What a dream goal: Kramaric switches the play from the centre over to the left flank. Raum then plays the ball to Rutter. The Frenchman is afforded a lot of space, cuts inside and curls the ball perfectly into the corner.
What a pass from Dabbur: the Israeli sends Bebou in motion with a dream ball. The Togo international is first denied by Funk, but then slots home the follow-up from close range to make it 4-2.
TSG score another goal from a corner. The cross from the right flank is flicked on into the middle, where Fürth's Meyerhöfer heads into his own net.
That was too easy. Fürth have too much space on the right, square the ball on the edge of the box and Hrgota fires a powerful left-footed shot high into the net.
This time it's Kramarić who tees Bebou up perfectly. The striker keeps his cool in front of goal and lobs Funk to make it 6-3.
Match facts and statistics »
