Augsburg 1-0 Hoffenheim
Goals: 1-0 Jensen (88')

Augsburg had more reason for confidence coming into the game, having beaten both Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 in their two previous home outings of 2023. It looked like this match might be heading the same way when the home team found the net after only seven minutes. Ermedin Demirovic cut the ball back to the edge of the area and Arne Engels - with the help of a deflection off Angelino - beat Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann. The ball had struck the young Belgian midfielder’s hand before he got his shot away, however, so the goal did not stand. Hoffenheim then gradually started to threaten as the first half wore on, but Kasper Dolberg couldn’t connect with a stooping header and later in the piece Angelino also failed to find the target from a Pavel Kaderabek cross.

Augsburg again thought they had the lead just two minutes into the second half. Kelvin Yeboah couldn’t shake off two defenders inside the area but Demirovic followed up to fortuitously bundle the ball home at the second attempt. That effort was ruled out too, though, after a review found that Yeboah had accidentally but forcefully caught Hoffenheim defender Kevin Vogt in the face with a flailing arm. Vogt was forced off shortly afterwards - another blow to a visiting team that had lost their last four games in all competitions. Hoffenheim introduced Andrej Kramaric past the hour mark, but even the Croatian couldn’t hand Pellegrino Matarazzo his first win since taking over earlier this month. That was largely down to Augsburg keeper Rafal Gikiewicz since the Pole got down well to his right to keep out a sharp, left-footed effort from the substitute. Hoffenheim would have been happier with a point at the end of a hard-fought contest but in the end Augsburg snatched all three. Engels whipped in a corner that was helped on by Jeffrey Gouweleeuw at the near post, and Jensen stretched at the far stick to prod home a vital winner.

FCA Augsburg Augsburg - TSG Hoffenheim Hoffenheim

Late Jensen strike gives Augsburg vital win over Hoffenheim