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TSG knocked out in the last 16
Personnel and tactics:
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made two changes to the side that lost 2-1 away to Union Berlin at the weekend. The back three in front of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was again made up of Stefan Posch, Kevin Vogt and Chris Richards. There was no change out on the wings, with Kevin Akpoguma and David Raum lining up on the right and left respectively. Angelo Stiller moved into the starting line-up and played alongside Dennis Geiger and Christoph Baumgartner in midfield. Ihlas Bebou and Georginio were tasked with providing a goal threat up front.
Andrej Kramarić and Munas Dabbur came on for the second half, replacing Stiller and Akpoguma. Bebou moved over to the right wing and Dabbur slotted in up front. Jacob Bruun Larsen came on to provide new impetus in the 69th minute, with Georginio coming off. Six minutes later, there were emotional scenes, as Benjamin Hübner made his return to action after 19 months of absence. He replaced Vogt. Sebastian Rudy also came on for the injured Baumgartner in the 75th minute.
Moment of the match:
The goal for 3-1. TSG's hopes of a comeback were short lived: just two minutes after pulling a goal back, Kevin Schade scored on the counter for Freiburg. The goal was initially disallowed due to Ermedin Demirovic appearing to be in an offside position, but the video referee intervened to reverse the decision.
Number of the game: 571
There was at least one bright spot this evening: in the 75th minute, Benjamin Hübner celebrated his long-awaited return to action after 571 days on the sidelines. The club captain came on to replace Kevin Vogt and make his first appearance on the pitch since the 4-0 win away to Borussia Dortmund in June 2020.
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Posch, Vogt (75, Hübner), Richards – Akpoguma (46, Dabbur), Geiger, Raum – Baumgartner (75, Rudy), Stiller (46, Kramarić) – Bebou, Georginio (69, Bruun Larsen)
SC Freiburg: Flekken – Kübler, Lienhart, Schlotterbeck, Günter – Eggestein (84, Keitel), Höfler – Schade (58, Gulde), Grifo (72, Jeong) – Demirovic (72, Sallai), Höler (84, Petersen)
Goals: 0-1 Grifo (10), 0-2 Grifo (36/penalty for handball), 1-2 Schlotterbeck (52/own-goal), 1-3 Schade (54), 1-4 Demirovic (68)
Match highlights
TSG are caught on the break. Höler is given too much space as he drives past the halfway line. He picks out Grifo down the left, who powers into the box and curls the ball into the far-corner. Baumann had no chance with that one.
A big chance for Freiburg to extend their lead. Günter dinks an inch-perfect pass over the top to Höler, who finds himself one-on-one with Baumann. He takes the ball on the volley, but his shot flies over the crossbar. A let-off for TSG there.
TSG almost grab an equaliser after a free-kick delivery. A last-ditch challenge from Höfler is just enough to deny Akpoguma. The ball then falls to Stiller, whose shot is also blocked. TSG's best chance of the game so far.
Schlotterbeck gathers the ball out wide after a free-kick and swings a cross into the area, which strikes Bebou's outstretched arm. Grifo steps up to take the resultant penalty and calmly drills the ball into the top-left corner.
TSG's best chance of the game. Kramarić plays a perfect cross into the area from the left wing. Georginio Rutter gets in front of Schlotterbeck but his header flashes just over the bar. Flekken would have had no chance with that one.
Baumgartner lofts the ball towards the far-post from a central-right position. Kramarić slots the ball past Flekken with a left-footed effort. Schlotterbeck tries to make a desperate clearance on the line but ends up directing the ball into his own net.
A bitter pill to swallow for TSG: shortly after the goal for 2-1, Schade scores for Freiburg to reopen the two-goal advantage. The winger works his way into space on the right before firing a shot into the far-corner of the net. The goal doesn't count at first, but VAR intervenes and overrides the offside decision.
No luck for TSG today. Richards is denied from close-range by Flekken. Kramarić hoovers up the rebound and passes to the well-placed Dabbur, but his effort on goal is kept out by another excellent reaction save from Flekken.
TSG are caught on the counter once again. Kübler squares the ball to Höler, who lines up a shot but ends up missing the ball completely. However, the ball rolls to the feet of Demirovic, who has an easy finish to make it 4-1.
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