Supersub Reiss Nelson seals win for Hoffenheim against Augsburg
English youngster Reiss Nelson scored a minute after coming off the bench to help Hoffenheim to a 2-1 win over Augsburg on Saturday, after Andrej Kramaric and Alfred Finnbogason had exchanged goals.
Hoffenheim 2-1 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Kramaric (65’), 1-1 Finnbogason (69’), 2-1 Nelson (84’)
Hoffenheim could have taken the lead inside the first 10 minutes after Joelinton broke free on the counter, but the big Brazilian fired wide when he had three teammates unmarked in the Augsburg box. Kevin Vogt passed a late fitness test to start at the heart of the home side’s defence, but he struggled to settle into his stride in the first half, allowing Finnbogason a pair of chances at the other end. Fortunately for the Hoffenheim captain, the Icelander fired into Oliver Baumann’s gloves and then wide. Kerem Demirbay tested Baumann’s opposite number Andreas Luthe but the ‘keeper saved and the sides went in at the break with the scores deadlocked at 0-0.
Kramaric blazed narrowly over at the start of the second half before Augsburg came even closer, Philipp Max seeing a shot saved before Finnbogason hit the near post. It was the Sinheimers who eventually found a way through. Joelinton did brilliantly to fend off two markers before selflessly squaring for Kramaric, and the Croatian FIFA World Cup finalist was left with a simple finish. The lead lasted all of four minutes, as Finnbogason got a richly deserved seventh goal in as many games with a fine chip on his allegedly weaker left foot. Hoffenheim and Nelson had the last word, though, with the Arsenal-owned prodigy reacting quickest to a parried shot to snatch a late winner.
Match stats
- Nelson is Hoffenheim's top scorer in the Bundesliga this season, with six goals in seven matches. Kramaric’s opener was his third goal in seven games. The forward plundered 13 last term. Hoffenheim have scored a combined 13 goals in their past four Bundesliga games, and are the third-highest scorers in the league with 24 goals. Finnbogason’s equaliser was his seventh in seven games. The Iceland striker is Augsburg’s record Bundesliga scorer with 29. Augsburg had lost just one - a thrilling 4-3 defeat at Borussia Dortmund - of their previous seven games in all competitions.Hoffenheim have now won each of their last four Bundesliga matches.
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Line-ups
Hoffenheim: Baumann – Kaderabek, Vogt (c), Bicakcic, Schulz (Nelson 82’) – Nordtveit – Bittencourt (Grifo 66’), Demirbay – Kramaric (Brenet 88’), Joelinton, Szalai
Unused subs: Kobel, Adams, Zuber, Belfodil
Absentees: Amiri (foot), Hübner (concussion), Rupp (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Augsburg: Luthe – Schmid, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Max – Khedira, Baier (c) – Richter, Koo (Schieber 90'), Caiuby (Gregoritsch 77’) – Finnbogason
Unused subs: Leneis, Götze, Jense, Framberger, Danso
Absentees: Giefer (hip), Hahn (knee), Janker (heel), Ji (knee), Moravek (fascia)
Coach: Manuel Baum
Watch: Nelson: "Never expected to score so many!"
As it happened