Ex-HSV star scores twice
Bundesliga team on the verge of elimination in the Europa League
Updated on January 23, 2025 – 8:48 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
TSG Hoffenheim is about to be eliminated from the Europa League. Against Tottenham, the Bundesliga team completely missed the opening phase.
After a 2-3 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, TSG Hoffenheim’s exit from the Europa League is as good as sealed. The Kraichgauer are only in 28th place in the table with six points after seven games and definitely have to win their last group game next week in Anderlecht in order to maintain the minimal chance of progressing, i.e. 24th place. At the same time, TSG has to hope for help from the competition.
Tottenham completely took coach Christian Ilzer’s team by surprise in the early stages. James Maddison gave the visitors the lead after just three minutes. Former HSV and Leverkusen star Heung-Min Son increased the lead to 2-0 for the Londoners midway through the first half (22nd minute).
Hoffenheim initially shortened the score in the second half through Anton Stach (68′). Shortly afterwards, Son restored the old gap with his second goal (77th). TSG came back shortly before the final whistle. David Mokwa headed in to make it 2-3 (88th). But it shouldn’t be enough for the Hoffenheim team, who are once again rebelling.
The route ahead of the duel between the 15th-placed teams in the Bundesliga and Premier League was clear: “We have a pressure situation against a top international opponent. Because of the situation in the table, we have to win,” said Ilzer energetically. But his team made a false start: After a long pass from Pedro Porro, Maddison ran away from opponent Kevin Akpoguma, then with the second contact he dropkicked the ball past Oliver Baumann and into the net.
TSG wobbled worryingly in the early stages; given the chances Richarlison (12′), Porro (14′) and Son (16′) could have conceded a second goal. A deflection from Pavel Kaderabek made it better for the South Korean a short time later after a counterattack. Hoffenheim struggled to react, but apart from a low shot from Tom Bischof, who moved to Bayern in the summer (33′), and a shot from youngster Max Moerstedt (39′), nothing dangerous emerged.
In the second half, TSG ran tirelessly in front of 30,150 spectators, while the “Spurs”, plagued by injury problems, fell far behind. Andrej Kramarić hit the crossbar with a header (54th), then a penalty was taken back after an alleged foul by keeper Brandon Austin on Moerstedt according to video evidence (62nd). Shortly afterwards, Stach shortened the game for TSG and Son became a spoilsport. Mokwa caused tension again in the final phase. However, his goal came too late.