Christian Pulisic magic helps Borussia Dortmund down Hoffenheim
A sensational late goal from teenage sensation Christian Pulisic helped Borussia Dortmund continue their 100 per cent start under new coach Peter Stöger as the hosts came from behind to defeat Hoffenheim in a Bundesliga classic.
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Hoffenheim
Goals: 0-1 Uth (21'), 1-1 Aubameyang (pen 63'), 2-1 Pulisic (89')
Dortmund ended a run of eight games without a win when coach Peter Stöger took over from Peter Bosz prior to victory at Mainz. The morale gained from that triumph was on display in the early stages here as the hosts enjoyed a string of chances, ultimately spurned by Andrey Yarmolenko, Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang. Visiting tactician Julian Nagelsmann had never beaten Dortmund in three previous encounters against the Black and Yellows, but the 30-year-old cut a contented figure when Mark Uth tapped in the game's opening goal following good work from Nadiem Amiri and Pavel Kaderabek.
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Hoffenheim were eight games without a win against Dortmund prior to this meeting, yet the Sinsheimers would have been well on course to correct that sequence had BVB ‘keeper Roman Bürki not denied Nadiem Amiri with a spectacular stop shortly after the restart. The miss would prove costly with BVB subsequently awarded a penalty when Stefan Posch fouled Shinji Kagawa in the area. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang kept his cool to wrong foot Oliver Baumann for 1-1. Undeterred, Hoffenheim looked to take the lead again, with Benjamin Hübner stretching, but failing to connect when well-placed and then Kaderabek and Kerem Demirbay firing narrowly off target. Dortmund fans now surely hoping to hold on for a point were suddenly jumping for joy in the closing minutes when Pulisic popped up to net a spectacular winner.
Match stats
- Borussia ended a run of seven competitive games without a win at home.Mark Uth has scored nine Bundesliga goals this season, a personal best.Stöger made his Dortmund touchline bow in Mainz last time out and inspired the side to a 2-0 win and a first clean sheet since Matchday 5. BVB also ended a run of eight Bundesliga games without a win.Since Nagelsmann took over at Hoffenheim in February 2016, only Bayern Munich and Dortmund have collected more points than the Sinsheim club.Dortmund had previously not won their final Bundesliga game of the year since 2012 (a 3-1 win at Hoffenheim). Since then, their record is: D1 L3.Hoffenheim have lost their last four on the road in all competitions.Nagelsmann has never beaten Dortmund as a coach (D1, L3).
Line-ups
Dortmund: Bürki - Toljan, Toprak, Sokratis, Schmelzer (c) - Kagawa, Weigl, Guerreiro - Yarmolenko (Dahoud 73'), Aubameyang, Pulisic (Subotic 90')
Unused subs: Weidenfeller, Zagadou, Bartra, Sahin, Isak
Absentees: Durm (hip), Piszczek (knee), Castro (ankle ligaments), Götze (ankle ligaments), Reus (knee ligaments), Rode (pelvis), Philipp (knee)
Coach: Peter Stöger
Hoffenheim: Baumann - Posch (Akpoguma 90'), Vogt (c), Hübner - Kaderabek, Zuber - Grillitsch - Demirbay, Amiri - Uth (Szalai 69'), Gnabry (Kramaric 63')
Unused subs: Kobel, Passlack, Rupp, Polanski
Absentees: Geiger (suspended), Wagner (groin)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Watch: Pulisic talks us through his match-winning goal