TSG Hoffenheim is still in free fall in the Bundesliga, even under new coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. The Kraichgauers, who were threatened with relegation, had to admit defeat 0-1 (0-0) to their neighbors FC Augsburg, losing their second game since taking over from Matarazzo and once again missing the end of their months-long slide.
While Augsburg gained some breathing room in the relegation battle thanks to a goal by Fredrik Jensen (88th), TSG could slip into a relegation zone later in the day. Hoffenheim have now been waiting for a win for twelve competitive games, and TSG have only scored two points from the past eleven league games.
“It feels very, very bad. There was a lot of fighting, and then the late goal came,” said Hoffenheim’s Thomas Delaney on “DAZN”: “I have great faith in our path, we can do it – but we have to get it done quickly .”
Matarazzo made four changes to his starting XI compared to his botched debut against Leverkusen (1-3). “It’s about staying up. The boys who are ready for it will be on the pitch,” Matarazzo had emphasized in advance.
The players did not initially repay the trust placed in them by their coach, the Augsburgers clearly dominated the initial phase. Hoffenheim hardly showed up in the generic half, after winning the ball themselves, any offensive efforts by TSG were stifled by the hosts’ aggressive counter-pressing.
Consequently, the majority of the 25,872 spectators briefly cheered. However, referee Patrick Ittrich correctly withdrew the supposed opening goal from Arne Engels (8th) due to a handball by the Belgian after a VAR check.
FCA annoyed by VAR interventions
As a result, TSG also took part in the game more, but in an overall uneventful first half there were not enough convincing chances for either side.
Even after the restart, Augsburg got off to a better start. This time it wasn’t even two minutes before Ermedin Demirovic scored in the goal of TSG keeper Oliver Baumann. However, Ittrich again corrected his decision based on video evidence of an alleged foul play, amid fierce complaints from the FCA players.
In a chaotic game, Augsburg, with their intense style of play, remained the somewhat more active team. However, the flow of the game was noticeably disturbed by many substitutions and interruptions, which made it difficult for both teams to create dangerous situations. In the closing stages, Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric (82′) was denied by Rafal Gikiewicz, who reacted strongly in the Augsburg goal, while Jensen scored from a corner on the other side.