Andrej Kramarić’s penalty double beats Borussia Dortmund to boost Hoffenheim’s Champions League chances
Andrej Kramarić converted two penalties as Hoffenheim boosted their UEFA Champions League hopes and all but ended Borussia Dortmund’s title chances, leaving Bayern Munich a point from retaining the Meisterschale on Sunday.
Hoffenheim 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 1-0 Kramarić 42’ (pen), 1-1 Guirassy 87’ (assist: Bensebaini), 2-1 Kramarić 90’+8 (pen)
Hoffenheim entered the match in desperate need of a win after four Bundesliga games without victory had seen them drop from third to sixth in the table. Christian Ilzer's side were looking to reignite their Champions League hopes against a Borussia Dortmund team fresh off their first defeat of the campaign not against Bayern, having lost to Bayer Leverkusen the previous weekend.
For the visitors, the implications were equally significant – any slip would potentially allow Bayern to secure the title when facing VfB Stuttgart the following day.
Hoffenheim take deserved lead
Hoffenheim started the brighter of the two sides, with Fisnik Asllani testing the Dortmund defence within seconds of kick-off. The hosts continued to apply pressure, and in the sixth minute, Tim Lemperle came agonisingly close when his volley struck the crossbar.
Dortmund struggled to gain a foothold as Hoffenheim pressed high, though Daniel Svensson did head over when well positioned. The deadlock was broken in the 42nd minute when Niklas Süle handled the ball while falling in the penalty area. Kramarić stepped up and confidently converted into the right corner. To compound Dortmund's woes, Süle's injury forced him to be replaced by Ramy Bensebaini before the interval.
Late drama decides the contest
Dortmund emerged with greater intent after the break but struggled to break down a resolute Hoffenheim defence. BVB coach Niko Kovač made a crucial change on the hour mark, introducing Serhou Guirassy for Fabio Silva.
The switch eventually paid dividends when Guirassy collected a pass from Bensebaini in the 87th minute, turned sharply and fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner from outside the area.
Just as Dortmund thought they had secured a valuable point, disaster struck in the 94th minute when Julian Ryerson was penalised for handball on review. Kramarić stepped up once more in the 98th minute and repeated his clinical finish to snatch all three points for the hosts, sending Gregor Kobel the wrong way.
Julian Brandt had a last-gasp free-kick opportunity for Dortmund but fired over the bar as they have to wait to secure Champions League qualification, while Bayern need only a point at home to Stuttgart to win the title.
Man of the Match: Andrej Kramarić
Kramarić demonstrated nerves of steel, converting two crucial penalties under immense pressure to secure a vital victory for Hoffenheim. The Croatian forward has now scored 12 goals this season, surpassing his tally from the previous campaign. His perfect record from the spot continues – he has now converted his last 17 Bundesliga penalties, while Hoffenheim as a team have converted 22 consecutive spot-kicks.
Beyond his goals, Kramarić was a constant threat throughout, registering four shots (the most of any player) and covering an impressive 12 kilometres – the highest distance covered by any Hoffenheim player.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Hoffenheim 2.39 - Dortmund 0.81
Fastest player: Maximilian Beier (Dortmund), 35.39 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-1 by Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund), 5.99 percent
Most pressed player: Carney Chukwuemeka (Dortmund), 23 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), +5.25
Fantasy Heroes: Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim, 289 Points), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim, 257 Points), Albian Hajdari (Hoffenheim, 185 Points)
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