Serge Gnabry and Andrej Kramaric inspire Hoffenheim to victory at Augsburg
Hoffenheim recorded only their second league win in 2018 with a 2-0 victory at Augsburg that keeps their push for a European finish on track.
Augsburg 0-2 Hoffenheim
Goals: 0-1 Kramaric (30'), 0-2 Gnabry (51')
Augsburg had been buoyed by a 1-1 draw away at Borussia Dortmund on Monday evening, while Hoffenheim had won just on of their last ten on the road in the league. Nevertheless, it was the away side that dominated much of the first half, and after Andrej Kramaric and Serge Gnabry saw decent efforts saved, Kramaric headed in the opener to notch his sixth goal in five appearances.
A 2-0 half-time lead would not have flattered Julian Nagelsmann’s side, and they duly doubled their advantage within minutes of the restart, Gnabry and Kramaric breaking at speed before exchanging passes to allow the German to slot home from close range. Shawn Parker came off the bench and saw a goal ruled out for the hosts, but the wind was taken out of their sails with the second goal and Hoffenheim might have added a third on the break.
Line-ups
Augsburg: Hitz – Danso (Parker 59'), Khedira, Hinteregger – Schmid, Koo, Baier (c), Max – Jakob (Cordova 51'), Heller (Richter 74') – Gregoritsch
Unused subs: Luthe, Janker, Kacar, Richter, Asta
Absentees: Framberger (ligament damage), Caiuby (suspended), Gouweleeuw (knee), Richter (ankle ligaments)
Coach: Manuel Baum
Hoffenheim:Baumann – Akpoguma, Vogt (c), Hübner – Kaderabek, Geiger, Grillitsch, Schulz – Rupp (Amiri 64'), Kramaric (Szalai 73') - Gnabry (Uth 63')
Unused subs: Stolz, Bicakcic, Polanski, Zuber, Amiri, Uth, Szalai
Absentees: Demirbay (knee ligaments), Posch (pelvis)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Watch: Gnabry praises Hoffenheim's improved defensive efforts
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Match stats
- Twelve of Gnabry's 15 Bundesliga goals have come away from home.Kramaric has now scored in five Bundesliga games in a row and has scored more league goals than another player in 2018.Augsburg have won only one of the last nine Bundesliga games against Hoffenheim (a 3-1 victory at home on 1 February 2015).Jonathan Schmid joined Augsburg from Hoffenheim in summer 2016.FCA forward Michael Gregoritsch spent the 2012/13 season in Hoffenheim's reserve team.Marwin Hitz's only Bundesliga dismissal came against Hoffenheim; when the Swiss custodian played for Wolfsburg, he was sent off in a 3-1 defeat in September 2011.Hoffenheim are six games unbeaten against Ausgburg (W4, D2).The visitors' coach, Nagelsmann, was born 25 miles from Augsburg and ended his playing career at the club.
As it happened