Reiss Nelson brace saves Hoffenheim at Nuremberg
English teenager Reiss Nelson took his tally this season to four league goals as he struck twice in the second half to lead Hoffenheim to victory at Nuremberg.
Nuremberg 1-3 Hoffenheim
Goals: 1-0 Behrens (pen. 15’), 1-1 Nelson (50’), 1-2 Nelson (57’) 1-3 Szalai (67’)
Nuremberg could have hit the front inside two minutes, but Mikael Ishak dragged wide after being sent clear from a Christian Mathenia goal-kick. Another long clearance from Mathenia did lead to the opening goal, however, when Kasim Adams barged into the dangerous Vladimir Misidjan. Nuremberg captain Hanno Behrens calmly slotted the penalty home. Mathenia was making his Nuremberg debut following a summer move from Hamburg, and he helped preserve the advantage by brilliantly pushing away two rasping long-range efforts from Andrej Kramaric. The Croatian was again thwarted by Mathenia just past the half hour, before Ishak nearly scored on a rare Nuremberg counter attack. Hoffenheim kept coming though, and Mathenia held on to a close-range volley from Pavel Kaderabek as well as an Ermin Bicackcic header before half-time.
The visitors sent on striker Adam Szalai at the break but it was Nelson – on loan from Arsenal and making his second Bundesliga start – who volleyed in unmarked from eight yards after being picked out by Kaderabek. Seven minutes later the 18-year-old was at it again, following up on good build-up play between Kaderabek and Kerem Demirbay to slam home from a tight angle. Mathenia somehow denied Kramaric again but Szalai ensured Hoffenheim coasted to victory with a great header from a pinpoint Kaderabek centre.
Match stats
- Nelson has now scored four goals in four Bundesliga matches for Hoffenheim since joining on loan from Arsenal in the summer.The U21 international is the fourth Englishman to score a brace in the German top fight, following on from Tony Woodcock, Kevin Keegan and Ademola Lookman.Hoffenheim snapped a run of three defeats in a row in all competitions to pick up their second win in six league games.Behrens scored his second goal of the season. He has now netted the opening goal from a penalty in each of Nuremberg’s last two home matches.Mathenia started 24 league games for relegated Hamburg last season but was on the bench in 2018/19 until now.Nuremberg have now conceded 16 goals in their last four matches.
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Line-ups
Nuremberg: Mathenia – Valentini, Margreitter, Mühl, Bauer – Petrak – Löwen, Behrens (c), Palacios (Kerk 66') – Ishak (Knöll 41'), Misidjan Kubo (86')
Unused subs: Bredlow, Ewerton, Kerk, Kubo, Fuchs, Rhein
Absentees: Leibold (suspended), Lippert (ankle)
Coach: Michael Köllner
Hoffenheim: Baumann - Adams (Akpoguma 68'), Vogt (c), Bicakcic - Kaderabek, Grillitsch (Szalai HT), Demirbay, Schulz – Nelson (Hoogma 70') - Kramaric, Joelinton
Unused subs: Kobel, Zuber, Otto, Grifo
Absentees: Amiri (foot), Bittencourt (ribs), Geiger (thigh), Hübner (concussion), Posch (calf), Rupp (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Watch: Reiss Nelson on how he'll be relaxing after the game
As it happened