Hoffenheim win again, all-square in Hamburg
Munich - 1899 Hoffenheim beat Hannover 96 in a mid-table tussle while Hamburger SV and SC Freiburg divided the spoils in a real relegation dogfight on Matchday 27.
1899 Hoffenheim 3-1 Hannover 96
Here's the overview:
Hoffenheim recorded successive Bundesliga wins for the first time this season after easing past ten-men Hannover 96 to the tune of 3-1.
Returning Hannover midfielder Leon Andreasen got the visitors off to a flier, rounding off a lovely flowing move with his first goal of the campaign just nine minutes in. Hoffenheim hadn't earned the tag of the Bundesliga's most unpredictable outfit for no reason, though, and duly levelled matters four minutes later when a game of head tennis gave way to a clinical 18-yard finish from Eugen Polanski. Hannover were rocking, but Anthony Modeste could only direct his glancing header onto the crossbar.
Modeste on cue
The Frenchman made the most of his next opportunity, however, collecting Roberto Firmino's outrageous cross and sticking away his 11th Bundesliga goal of the campaign early in the second half. Hannover had struggled to find any sort of rhythm, but worse was to come when Manuel Schmiedebach picked up a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Modeste with 14 minutes left to play.
A performance symptomatic of the Reds' toothless travails on the road, Ron-Robert Zieler compounded his side's misery in injury time, passing the ball straight out from the back to Sebastian Rudy, who sent a fine effort over the head of the stranded keeper and into the net from all of 35 yards.
Line-ups and statistics
Hamburger SV 1-1 SC Freiburg
Hamburger SV passed up the opportunity to leapfrog SC Freiburg and haul themselves out of the bottom three, having to settle for a share of the spoils at home to the Black Forest outfit on Matchday 27.
After the Red Shorts had enjoyed the better of a goalless first half, Vladimir Darida put Freiburg in front against the run of play early in the second. Pierre-Michel Lasogga hauled Hamburg level within minutes but Christian Streich's men held on for the point that keeps them just clear of the relegation zone.
Lasogga vs Baumann
The hosts got off to a lively start, personified by Lasogga who pulled a great diving save out of Freiburg keeper Oliver Baumann ten minutes in. Unsurprisingly perhaps, given the nature of the encounter, perspiration had the edge on inspiration as the first half subsequently unfolded but on 36 minutes almost drew first blood when Lasogga met Rafael van der Vaart's free kick with a header which beat the onrushing Baumann but narrowly failed to find the target. In added time, Lasogga fired in a shot on the full that Baumann managed to bat away to conclude their personal duel for the first 45.
Five minutes after the restart, though, the run of the contest was turned on its head when Darida latched onto the rebound after an effort from Felix Klaus had hit the post to fire Freiburg in front. Hamburg's response was not long in coming though, Lasogga finally getting the better of Baumann with the aid of a deflection, for his twelfth goal of the campaign. After that the match opened up with a flurry of chances at both ends, but neither keeper was greatly tested towards the end with much of the action concentrated in an intense middle-of-the-park struggle.
Line-ups and statistics
