TSG keeper Baumann towers over: Hoffenheim stops VfB Stuttgart’s soaring

As of: October 28, 2023 7:04 p.m

VfB Stuttgart’s streak is broken: After six Bundesliga wins in a row, the Swabians lost to TSG Hoffenheim in the Baden-Württemberg duel in front of their home crowd.

TSG Hoffenheim won 3-2 (2-0) at VfB Stuttgart on matchday nine and thus retained a clean slate even after five away games. Grischa Prömel (4th minute) and Wout Weghorst (21st, penalty kick) scored for the clever Kraichgauer against hard-working but mistaken Swabians, in which Deniz Undav missed a penalty kick (30th). Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann directed Stuttgart’s shot onto the post. Chris Führich (61st). The home team scored the next goal, Robert Skov (66th) restored the old gap before Undav made it 2-3 (73rd). scored the last goal of the day.

After their second defeat of the season, VfB are still in third place with 21 points, but can still be overtaken by Borussia Dortmund on Sunday. Hoffenheim is now at least temporarily fifth with 18 points.

Hoeneß praises Spirit, Undav and Baumann are annoyed

After the unfortunate 3-2 home defeat, VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß quickly identified the decisive points from Stuttgart’s perspective. “From our point of view, it was the goals we conceded early on,” analyzed the football teacher after the game. “And of course the efficiency of Hoffenheim.” But he didn’t want to blame his team: “We believed in it until the end, we created a lot of really good situations. The spirit was there, the conviction was there, it shouldn’t be that right today.”

VfB striker Deniz Undav, who missed the penalty, was more depressed. “I’m disappointed in myself. I have to take the penalty, that’s my quality,” he said, self-critically. “I’ll take the game on myself.”

And not everything was rosy on the TSG side either. Keeper Oliver Baumann, who saved Undav’s penalty and also showed a good performance in other respects, particularly criticized TSG’s lack of possession of the ball. “In the end you can just be happy that we won the game,” said the TSG goalkeeper. “We counterattacked well, but we didn’t have enough possession of the ball. It could have turned out differently today.”

Deniz Undav replaces the injured Serhou Guirassy

Compared to the 3-0 away win at Union Berlin VfB Stuttgart began with four new players. For the injured top scorer Serhou Guirassy Coach Sebastian Hoeneß brought Deniz Undav into the attack center. The starting eleven debut for the striker on loan from Brighton. Hiroki Ito, Pascal Stenzel and Silas also moved into the starting lineup for Dan-Axel Zagadou, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Jamie Leweling. Hoffenheim’s coach Pellegrino Matarazzo added the home defeat against Frankfurt two new actors: Kevin Akpoguma and Tom Bischof for Attila Szalai and Anton Stach.

The injured VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy only sat in the stands against TSG Hoffenheim.

Grischa Prömel with the early one Opening goal for the TSG

Stuttgart against Hoffenheim was also a “duel of serial offenders”. VfB had won all of their first four home games, TSG had won four away games. The guests got off to a lightning start. Wout Weghorst won the ball in midfield against Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller and sent Maximilian Beier steeply, but he was denied by VfB keeper Alexander Nübel. The rebound landed at the feet of Grischa Prömel, who scored to make it 0-1 (4th).

Shortly afterwards, Stuttgart had a huge chance to equalize. After Hoffenheim’s Florian Grillitsch lost the ball and played a back pass directly into Undav’s feet, the attacker was completely free in front of the TSG goal, but keeper Oliver Baumann made a strong save.

Wout Weghorst hits from the spot

In the 18th minute, TSG attacker Beier was hit with his hand in the face by defender Anthony Rouault in the VfB penalty area. According to the video images, referee Felix Zwayer decided on a penalty for the guests. Weghorst didn’t miss the chance from the point and scored on the bottom left to make it 0-2.

Deniz Undav fails from the point

Eleven minutes later, VfB also received a penalty kick; Undav had previously been fouled by keeper Baumann. But the TSG goalkeeper made amends for his faux pas and directed the striker’s penalty kick onto the left post (30′).

The Swabians then had further chances, but Pascal Stenzel (31′), Undav (40′) and especially Führich (41′) missed the next goal. On the Hoffenheim side, Beier could have added the third goal, but VfB keeper Nübel was there (45th). So it went into the break with the score 0-2.

Chris Führich with that connection hit, Robert Skov counters

The second half initially turned into a disjointed game with many small fouls and interruptions, but initially no further scoring opportunities. With the first real chance in the second 45 minutes, VfB scored the next goal. After a one-two with Undav, Führich carefully scored to make it 1-2 (61′). But Hoffenheim responded quickly: After Beier’s assist, Robert Skov restored the old distance with a powerful left-footed shot (66th).

Stuttgart responded with furious attacks. Undav hit the left outside post after a pass from Führich (70′). After an unsuccessful cross from substitute Jamie Leweling, the striker was there and headed the ball that had bounced off the Hoffenheim post from close range into the goal to make it 2-3 (73′). ).

VfB’s final offensive brought further opportunities. Substitute Jeong Woo-yeong was denied by Baumann (76′), and in the 80th minute Silas missed a huge chance from six meters to make it 3-3. In the final minutes the home team threw everything forward, but with luck and skill Hoffenheim defended their lead.

First VfB home defeat under coach Sebastian Hoeneß

In the end it was a narrow and somewhat lucky victory for the guests, who acted more cleverly and more cleverly. VfB lacked the efficiency of the last games and missed numerous good chances to score. For Stuttgart it was the first Bundesliga home defeat under coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who has been in office since the beginning of April.

Exciting tasks in the cup and league

VfB Stuttgart will now face Union Berlin in the DFB Cup in front of their home crowd (October 31st, 6 p.m.), and in the Bundesliga they will then play the Baden-Württemberg state duel against 1. FC Heidenheim (November 5th, 5:30 p.m.). TSG Hoffenheim has to play Borussia Dortmund in the cup (November 1st, 6 p.m.), while Bayer Leverkusen from Kraichgau await in the league (November 4th, 3:30 p.m.).

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