Bundesliga: TSG Hoffenheim wins against VfL Bochum

TSG Hoffenheim won again after four Bundesliga games without a win – and did so quite convincingly against VfL Bochum.

Hoffenheim won 3-1 (2-0) against VfL on Friday evening (December 8th, 2023) at the start of the 14th Bundesliga matchday. TSG was the better team, especially in the first half teamscored with an own goal from Erhan Mašović (32.) and Andrei Kramaric (43).

After the break, Ihlas Bebou increased the score (73′), Bochum’s Gonzalo Paciencia (90′) added to the cosmetic result with a fantastic volley into the right corner.

Bochum’s series broken

“We didn’t play a goal, but we played a good game. Everyone wanted to defend, and that was important for me to feel,” Hoffenheim coach Pellegrino Matarazzo told Sportschau. Bochum’s sports director Marc Lettau struggled with the game going into the final third. “We lacked any precision, didn’t move forward consistently and weren’t there for the second balls.” VfL coach Thomas Letsch left immediately after the final whistle for personal reasons.

TSG won a home game for the first time in more than three months and settled into sixth place. A short series also ended for the Bochum team: the relegation candidate had not lost five games in a row and had recently even climbed to twelfth place with a win against Wolfsburg.

Bad luck for Masovic, nice goal from Kramaric

But in Sinsheim, VfL allowed too many chances in front of only 16,023 spectators, even though TSG’s previous top goalscorer Maximilian Beier was missing due to illness. Hoffenheim Wout Weghorst had already missed two great opportunities when he was denied again by Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann after just over half an hour. However, the rebound hit Bochum’s straddle Mašović so unfortunate at the foot that the ball rolled into the empty goal.

Hoffenheim’s second goal was technically fine: the strong player Kramaric cleverly received a cross in the penalty area, let two opponents pass with a shot feint into space and deliberately hit the left corner.

Asano misses the chance to equalize

After the break, the guests from Bochum took command and pushed for the next goal. Takuma Asano missed the best opportunity (50th). In total, the Bochum team shot at goal 22 times – more often than TSG (18).

But Hoffenheim survived the VfL pressure phase unscathed and decided the game a quarter of an hour before the end. Bebou initiated a counterattack himself and headed in a cross from Marius Bülter. Paciencia was still in contention for goal of the month with his volley in stoppage time.

Bochum welcomes Union, TSG in Leipzig

VfL will host Union Berlin on matchday 15 (Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Hoffenheim is in demand in the Saturday evening game at RB Leipzig (6.30 p.m.).