Hoffenheim hit back from a goal down to beat Hannover on Wednesday
Hoffenheim hit back from a goal down to beat Hannover on Wednesday

Hoffenheim too good for ten-man Hannover

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Sinsheim - Hoffenheim recorded successive Bundesliga wins for the first time this season after easing past ten-men Hannover 96 to the tune of 3-1.

Modeste on cue

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.

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.

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