Setback for TSG Hoffenheim: TSG only managed a draw against Heidenheim. The Hoffenheim team missed numerous chances, especially in the second half.
Eren Dinkci (29th minute) shot the visitors from Heidenheim into the lead after a brilliant counterattack. Andrej Kramaric equalized for Hoffenheim with a penalty after video evidence (45th + 7). Despite numerous chances, TSG failed to score again in the second half, so the visitors ultimately ended up with a 1-1 draw, which was a lucky result for the guests. This means that FCH has been unbeaten in six games, while the Kraichgauer team have only gotten two points from their last five games.
“Kevin Müller kept us in the game after halftime,” Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt praised his goalkeeper to the Sportschau, “We had the chance to gain more ourselves. But in the end a point against a team that can do something: I’m satisfied.”
Heidenheim hopes for it switching moments
Hoffenheim started with three new players in the comparison to the 2:3 defeat in Freiburg. John Anthony Brooks, Kevin Akpoguma and Grischa Prömel moved into the starting line-up for Ozan Kabak (suspended), Marius Bülter and Finn Ole Becker. The FCH, however, relied on the same starting eleven that had wrested a 1-1 draw from VfL Wolfsburg the previous week.
TSG took command right from the start, had more possession and shares of the game, while the guests stood deep and compact in order to be able to switch quickly after winning the ball. However, chances remained scarce until the 15th minute. Then Hoffenheim’s attacker Wout Weghorst finished from eleven meters. Heidenheim’s defender Patrick Mainka blocked the shot, but Anton Stach’s rebound was missed by FCH keeper Kevin Müller. On the guests’ side, Dinkci narrowly missed a pass from Tim Kleindienst (18′). The striker’s shot hit the side netting after Brooks got his foot in between.
Dinkci remains ice cold in front of Baumann
A little later, Dinkci did better. After winning the ball deep in their own half, Heidenheim countered quickly. Jan Schöppner sent Dinkci on the move against the highly advanced hosts, the attacker crossed inwards from the right and gave TSG keeper Oliver Baumann no chance with his well-considered finish (29th).
Kramaric scores in the seventh minute of added time
An effective goal – Hoffenheim was impressed, the FCH was now the team that dominated the game and was closer to the second goal than the hosts were to the equalizer. The Kraichgauers didn’t have more than half a chance thanks to a blocked shot from Kramaric (40th) – until stoppage time in the first half. Then, according to video evidence, there was a penalty for TSG after Heidenheim’s Benedikt Gimber touched the ball with his elbow. In the Cologne cellar it was decided that Gimber would make an active move – Kramaric coolly slotted the penalty kick in the bottom right to make it 1-1 (45th+7). With this overall performance-based result we went into the break.
Hoffenheim comes out of the break strong
The second 45 minutes began with the energetic home team, who immediately pushed Heidenheim onto the defensive. TSG keeper Müller initially got the ball off Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier’s foot (46th), before Prömel narrowly missed the ball (47th).
Just a minute later, it was Müller again who parried an 18-meter shot from Grillitsch (48th), just as he did a minute later against Beier (49th). In the 53rd minute, Weghorst again shot just wide from 16 meters to the left. Heidenheim was no longer able to relieve the pressure at all during this phase.
Lots of chances, but no goals
After almost an hour the game calmed down a bit. The home team slowed down a bit now, but still continued to apply pressure and had further opportunities. Müller was there again against Stach (62′). In the 67th minute, Kramaric missed by just a few centimeters, and in the 75th minute, Ihlas Bebou missed.
In the 84th minute, Heidenheim had the first dangerous shot of the second half, Kevin Sessa’s shot was defused by Baumann. A minute later there was a familiar duel: Kramaric was denied by Müller (85′). In the end it was a 1-1 draw, with which Heidenheim can be happy based on how the game went, but Hoffenheim can’t be happy with because of their own excess of chances.
Heidenheim 1:1 for the third time in the new year
TSG is standing still in the table due to what he sees as a disappointing draw. The Kraichgauers are in eighth place with 25 points. After its third 1-1 draw of the new year, Heidenheim is tenth with 23 points.
Both teams will continue with challenging tasks in the coming weeks. 1. FC Heidenheim will host Borussia Dortmund on Friday evening (February 2nd, 8:30 p.m.), while TSG Hoffenheim will face VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday (February 4th).
Broadcast on Saturday, January 27th, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., stadium, SWR1 Baden-Württemberg
