Alexis Claude-Maurice misses late penalty as Hoffenheim come from behind to hold Augsburg
Alexis Claude-Maurice opened the scoring but missed a late penalty as Augsburg surrendered a two-goal lead in an eventful draw with UEFA Champions League hopefuls Hoffenheim at the WWK Arena.
Augsburg 2-2 Hoffenheim
Goals: 1-0 Claude-Maurice 11’ (assist: Fellhauer), 2-0 Gregoritsch 14’ (assist: Gouweleeuw), 2-1 Hranáč 35’ (assist: Coufal), 2-2 Touré 42’ (assist: Asllani)
Missed penalty: Claude-Maurice (85’)
Both teams had gone into Friday’s Matchday 29 opener desperate for three points, albeit for very different reasons. Augsburg, without a win since defeating Cologne on 27 February, knew that victory would all but banish any fears of being pulled into a relegation scrap.
Fifth-placed Hoffenheim, meanwhile, had the opportunity to move level on points with RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart in the race for a Champions League spot. Christian Ilzer’s side had won only one of their previous six league games but remained hot on the heels of their top-four rivals in the standings with six rounds of fixtures left to play.
It was a special night for Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who made his 518th Bundesliga appearance at the WWK Arena, moving him into the top 10 of the division’s all-time appearance-makers.
The home side made a blistering start to the match, taking the lead after just 11 minutes. Claude-Maurice shrugged off his marker before finding space on the edge of the penalty area and drilling a precise right-footed shot into the bottom corner past the stranded Baumann.
The home fans barely had time to catch their breath before Augsburg doubled their advantage. Michael Gregoritsch outmuscled Ozan Kabak to latch onto a hopeful long ball into the Augsburg area before steering a clinical finish inside the near post from the edge of the box.
That goal left Hoffenheim with a mountain to climb, but the visitors gradually worked their way back into the contest and reduced the deficit in the 35th minute, when Robin Hranáč stooped to power home a header from Vladimir Coufal's corner.
The comeback was complete shortly before half-time, when Bazoumana Toure found the net with an audacious finish from a tight angle, the ball going in off the far post to make it 2-2.
Hoffenheim nearly completed the turnaround at the start of the second half, Tim Lemperle's header flying narrowly over the bar following a clever flick from Grischa Prömel, but what followed was a much more cagey affair as both sides adopted a safety-first approach in search of a valuable victory.
Augsburg and Hoffenheim made multiple changes in search of a winner, but clear-cut chances were at a premium until Bernardo fouled Anton Kade in the box with five minutes remaining, giving the hosts a golden opportunity to snatch all three points from the spot.
Claude-Maurice stepped up but fired his penalty high over the crossbar, in what proved to be the final meaningful action of an absorbing contest.
Man of the Match: Alexis Claude-Maurice
Despite his late penalty miss, Claude-Maurice was the standout performer at the WWK Arena on Friday night.
The Frenchman opened the scoring with a well-taken finish and was a constant threat throughout, registering more shots at goal (five) than any other player.
The attacking midfielder created several chances for his team-mates and was heavily involved in Augsburg's bright start to the match - but he was unable to cap a fine display with a late winner from the spot.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Augsburg 2.4 - Hoffenheim 1.47
Fastest player: Dimitrios Giannoulis (Augsburg), 35.66 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-2 by Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), 4 percent
Most pressed player: Leon Avdullahu (Hoffenheim), 17 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Fabian Rieder (Augsburg), +2.97
Fantasy Heroes: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim, 324 Points), Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim, 312 Points), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim, 294 Points)
Related news
The Bundesliga's form team?
The team with the most points over the last six games comes from Bavaria, but probably isn't the club you'd expect...
Augsburg defeat spirited Heidenheim late on
Alexis Claude-Maurice's penalty gave Augsburg a crucial win against bottom side Heidenheim, who are now six points from safety.
Freiburg fight back in dramatic Augsburg encounter
Four goals fell in a crazy opening phase to the second period.