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TSG lose thrilling clash with Dortmund
Personnel & tactics:
Captain Benjamin Hübner made his return to the first XI against Borussia Dortmund – his first time in the starting line-up in more than one and a half years. Head coach Sebastian Hoeness made a total of three changes to the team that started the 4-1 defeat to SC Freiburg. Hübner began at the heart of defence, where he played alongside Kevin Vogt and Chris Richards in a back three in front of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. The absence of Kevin Akpoguma saw Ihlas Bebou move over to the right, while David Raum kept his place on the left. The midfield remained unchanged, with Dennis Geiger in the defensive role, while Christoph Baumgartner and Angelo Stiller played in more advanced positions. The two substitutes from the Freiburg game, Andrej Kramarić and Munas Dabbur, started up top.
TSG were forced into making a change after only 10 minutes. Baumgartner picked up a knock and was replaced by Georginio, with Kramarić dropping back into midfield (9). TSG made a double substitution after around an hour, as Sebastian Rudy and Håvard Nordtveit came on in place of Geiger and Hübner (62). Jacob Bruun Larsen then replaced Raum in the closing stages (83).
Moment of the match:
First-half stoppage-time: Ihlas Bebou delivered a pinpoint cross from the right towards the back post, where Andrej Kramarić shook off his marker and slotted home with a perfect volley to level at 1-1. It was the Croat's 100th competitive goal in a TSG shirt, but unfortunately there were to be no points to show for it in the end.
Number of the game: 66
Benjamin Hübner had not been in the TSG Hoffenheim starting XI for 66 competitive matches, but finally returned to the fold against Borussia Dortmund. Three days after making his comeback from the bench against SC Freiburg, the 32-year-old led TSG on to the pitch as captain for the first time since 27 June 2020 – another match against Borussia Dortmund, which ended with a 4-0 victory.
Line-ups:
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Richards, Vogt, Hübner (Nordtveit, 62) – Bebou, Geiger (Rudy, 62), Raum (Bruun Larsen, 83) – Baumgartner (Georginio, 9), Stiller – Dabbur, Kramarić
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel – Wolf (Zagadou, 56), Akanji (Moukoko, 84), Hummels, Guerreiro – Dahoud – Brandt (Hazard, 56), Bellingham – Reus, Malen (Pongracic, 84) – Haaland (Witsel, 63)
Goals: 0-1 Haaland (6), 1-1 Kramarić (45+1), 1-2 Reus (58), 1-3 Raum (own goal, 67), 2-3 Georginio (77)
Match highlights
Unfortunately, Dortmund combine brilliantly to take an early lead. Malen plays a one-two with Guerreiro before playing another one-two with Bellingham inside the box. The Dutchman then looks up and plays a low cross from the left towards Haaland, who is left with a simple tap-in to make it 1-0 Dortmund.
Almost the perfect response: Rutter wins the aerial battle against Hummels after a corner but is denied by a combination of Kobel and the inside of the post.
No way! Kramarić takes the corner-kick and crosses towards the back post. Richards wins the aerial battle but this time the ball comes back off the crossbar. Dortmund get lucky once again.
That should've been the equaliser. Geiger plays a dream pass into the path of Georginio, who tries to tee up Kramarić for an open goal – but Akanji makes a last-ditch intervention. Frustrating.
There's the equaliser and it is richly deserved: Bebou crosses from the right perfectly towards Kramarić, who meets the ball with a perfect volley at the back post and slots into the bottom corner to score his 100th competitive goal for TSG.
Big opportunity to take the lead: Geiger puts Wolf under pressure and the ball falls to Rutter, who shoots from a centre-left position in the box but strikes the side-netting.
TSG are dictating the play, but it's Dortmund who take the lead again: Hübner fails to intercept a Malen through-ball to Reus and the midfielder is clean through on goal. Baumann gets a touch to it but cannot keep the ball out and it's 2-1.
Stiller lifts the ball over the midfield to Dabbur. He in turn chips it perfectly to Rutter, who this time keeps his cool in front of Kobel and reduces the deficit. Lovely goal.
Major chance to restore parity: Kramarić wins the ball in the penalty area and cuts it back towards Rudy, whose shot flies wide of the upright.
Match facts and statistics »
