TSG Hoffenheim start the new season convincingly against an uninspired FC Augsburg. At 4-0 (1-0) Andrej Kramaric is the decisive man.
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The little bunch of upright people from Kraichgau could hardly believe their luck. “Away win, away win”, chanted the four dozen supporters of TSG Hoffenheim after the cracking 4-0 (1-0) at FC Augsburg. Away wins of the team of coach Sebastian Hoeneß are rather rare. The last one was successful on April 3 of that year, also in Augsburg (2: 1).
“We are happy that we had such a great start,” said Hoffenheim’s Sargis Adamyan, who scored the all-important 2-0 (79th) at Sky 20 minutes after being substituted on. The excellent Andrej Kramaric provided the template for this, as well as for the goals by Jacob Bruun Larsen (37th) and Georginio Rutter (87th). When Sebastian Rudy scored (90 + 5), he played the penultimate pass.
“The result is too high,” complained Ruben Vargas, who could have put his team in the lead, if not had to (22nd). In fact, however, the Augsburg defense was increasingly inattentive after a good start – and little or nothing went forward.
“We didn’t give Augsburg a chance,” said Adamyan Sky and was right. The FCA seemed disoriented when trying to catch up in the second half and instead fell apart in the end.
TSG Hoffenheim have been unbeaten in eight games
Hoffenheim thus continued its streak from the previous season. TSG have been unbeaten in their eighth games. Augsburg, on the other hand, received in front of at least 9,124 spectators – 10,700 would have been allowed to enter the 30,500-seat arena – the third defeat in the past four games across the seasons, of the last eight games the Swabians won only one.
The FCA’s plan for high summer temperatures was obvious: Hoffenheim were allowed to have the ball first, from the center line onwards the hosts condensed their half of the game and counted on the counterattack if they won the ball, but they fizzled out. TSG, on the other hand, did not know what to do with their overweight possession of the ball for a long time, but increasingly gained access to opponents and the game.
Augsburg only freed themselves from their tactical shackles after falling behind, attacked earlier and, as often in the second half, increased the pace. Hoffenheim withdrew a little, in turn lurking on counterattacks, which were always dangerous. Before Adamyan scored the already decisive 2-0, Kramaric could have raised the pitch in front of goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz (76th).
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