Hoffenheim close the gap after Augsburg win
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim recorded a priceless 2-1 win over fellow strugglers FC Augsburg on Matchday 24.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2-1 FC Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Volland (25'), 1-1 Verhaegh (pen. 38'), 2-1 Uth (81')
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Hoffenheim flew out of the traps and went close to breaking the deadlock inside the first minute through Kevin Volland. Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz was equal to the task on that particular occasion, but the Swiss custodian’s resistance was broken in the 25th minute when Volland turned in from Patrick Ochs after Eduardo Vargas' shot had come back off a post. The lead did not last long, however, with Augsburg captain Paul Verhaegh levelling from the penalty spot following a handball by Nicklas Süle in the Hoffenheim box.
Augsburg were forced to sit deep after the the restart as Hoffenheim went in search of only their third home win of the season. Nadeem Amiri shot wide and Mark Uth struck a post, before Hitz pulled off a fine double save from Jeremy Toljan and Pavel Kaderabek. The hosts were not to be denied, though, as Uth wrapped his left boot around a long throw from substitute Andrej Kramaric to blow the relegation battle wide open.
Man of the match
Uth went up a gear in the second half, the Dutchman’s fourth Bundesliga goal possibly his most important yet.
Talking point
With SV Werder Bremen winning 4-1 in Leverkusen, the result of this game took on added significance. Hoffenheim remain in the bottom two, but now only trail 16th-placed Eintracht Frankfurt by two points.
Match stats
- Volland's opener was his first goal since 3 October 2015 (1083 minutes).Hoffenheim conceded a penalty for the first time this season.Verhaegh has converted a league-high six penalties in 2015/16.
Line-ups
Hoffenheim: Baumann - Kaderabek, Schär, Süle, Ochs (Toljan 73') - Polanski - Schwegler (c) (Bicakcic 46') - Uth, Amiri, Volland - E. Vargas (Kramaric (71')
Augsburg: Hitz - Verhaegh (c), Gruweleeuw, Klavan, Stafylidis - Kohr - Esswein, Koo (Janker 76'), Halil Altintop (To. Werner 84'), Caiuby - Finnbogason (Bobadilla 60')
