Andrej Kramarić powers Hoffenheim to commanding victory over Union Berlin
Hoffenheim claimed a comfortable 3-1 victory over Union Berlin on Matchday 20 thanks to a first-half Andrej Kramarić brace and a Diogo Leite own goal, which saw the Sinsheimers claim a seventh successive home win in the Bundesliga.
Hoffenheim 3-1 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Kramarić 42‘ (pen.), 2-0 Kramarić 45‘ (assist: Touré), 3-0 Leite 47‘ (o.g.), 3-1 Khedira 68‘
Hoffenheim's remarkable transformation under Christian Ilzer continued as they swept past Union Berlin. Having narrowly avoided relegation last season, finishing 15th, the Sinsheimers are now firmly in the hunt for a UEFA Champions League spot, with this result moving them level on points with second-placed Borussia Dortmund overnight.
Union, meanwhile, remained winless in 2026, having drawn three matches before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Dortmund last weekend.
Union began the match as the more threatening side, with Andrej Ilić heading narrowly wide from a Janik Haberer corner in the sixth minute.
The visitors continued to look more dangerous, as Rani Khedira squandered a golden opportunity in the seventh minute after a misplaced pass from Oliver Baumann. The Hoffenheim goalkeeper made amends by rushing out to deny Khedira's effort from a tight angle.
Despite Union's early control, the match turned on its head shortly before half-time. In the 39th minute, Leopold Querfeld clumsily brought down Fisnik Asllani in the box, and after VAR confirmation, Kramarić coolly converted the resulting penalty. The Croatian wasn't finished there, doubling Hoffenheim's lead just three minutes later with an expertly guided header from Bazoumana Touré's precise cross.
Any hopes of a Union comeback were dealt a severe blow just two minutes after the restart. Touré, whose pace had troubled the visitors throughout, drove forward on the left flank before delivering a low cross intended for Kramarić. Leite, attempting to cut out the danger, could only divert the ball past his own goalkeeper to make it 3-0.
Union boss Steffen Baumgart responded with a triple substitution in the 54th minute, bringing on András Schäfer, Derrick Köhn and Ilyas Ansah. The changes injected fresh energy into the visitors, with Schäfer forcing a fine save from Baumann in the 60th minute.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 68th minute when Khedira's deflected shot found the net. Initially disallowed for a foul by Ansah on Albian Hajdari, the goal was awarded after the referee consulted the VAR monitor.
Despite pulling a goal back, Union couldn't mount a serious challenge to Hoffenheim's lead in the closing stages. Union's best chance for a second goal came in the 90th minute when Ilić's header was well saved by Baumann.
The victory moved Hoffenheim level on points with Dortmund, while Union remained ninth, now eight points outside the European places.
Man of the Match: Andrej Kramarić
The 34-year-old Croatian was the undisputed star of the show, continuing his remarkable goalscoring form with a clinical brace that ultimately decided the contest. His cool penalty gave Hoffenheim the lead, while his expertly guided header just before half-time demonstrated his predatory instincts.
The double took Kramarić to 134 Bundesliga goals, overtaking Giovane Élber to become the third-highest scoring foreign player in the league's history.
Beyond his goals, the forward was a constant menace to the Union defence, recording six shots in total – more than any other player on the pitch. His outstanding performance earned him 350 fantasy points, the highest of any player in the match, and confirmed his status as Hoffenheim's talisman in their push for Champions League qualification.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Hoffenheim 1.49 - Union Berlin 2.15
Fastest player: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), 34.02 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-0 by Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), 13 per cent
Most pressed player: Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), 15 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Albian Hajdari (Hoffenheim), +1.88
Fantasy Heroes: Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim, 350 Points), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim, 281 Points), Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim, 195 Points)
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