TSG Hoffenheim is marching towards the top of the Bundesliga table this season. There was a 4-1 (0-0) win against FSV Mainz 05.
Andrej Kramaric was relieved. The forward received a special hug from his team-mates, then the Croatian star willingly signed autographs and took selfies with fans. After three home defeats against FSV in a row, the Kraichgauer won 4:1 (0:0) against Mainz, who had been outnumbered for a long time. Kramaric scored once but also missed a penalty. In the end, however, the afternoon was saved for the 31-year-old.
“The red card was the sticking point, after that our footballing quality came into play,” emphasized Christoph Baumgartner sky. The good place in the table is a snapshot, it’s still early in the season: “But our internal demands are very high and we’re basically in a very good mood.”
Kramaric (53rd), Grischa Prömel (69th), Munas Dabbur (80th) and Pavel Kaderabek (90th + 2) scored for Hoffenheim, who won all three home games of the young season – such a series at the start of a season has never existed in the Kraichgau before.
Mainz’s Alexander Hack was sent off due to an emergency brake (41′). As a result, Kramaric missed his second penalty (44th) of the current season.
FSV sports director Martin Schmidt disagreed sky with the course of the game: “We could have taken the lead, or even had to. After the 0:1, the opponent was too strong with a man more. For us, it’s a matter of rewarding ourselves in the next few games.”
TSG Hoffenheim: Andrej Kramaric puts a penalty next to the goal
The perfect series came to an end for FSV, who had won all three of their away games so far this season. Coach Bo Svensson, who had never lost to TSG either as a player or as a coach, has to find a new favorite opponent. Dominik Kohr’s goal (83rd) didn’t change that.
The 20,114 spectators in Sinsheim, including national coach Hansi Flick, saw strong Mainzers at the beginning. TSG had already received two yellow cards after ten minutes, and after a hard foul by Kevin Akpoguma, Jonathan Burkhardt had to be substituted off in the twelfth minute with a tibia injury. Delano Burgzorg replaced Burkhardt. “He has a big laceration on his big toe, but there shouldn’t be anything structural,” said FSV sports director Martin Schmidt about the 22-year-old’s injury.
The substitution of the most conspicuous player caused a break in the Mainz game. Hoffenheim took control after 15 minutes.
Shortly thereafter, events took a turn for the worse. Hack saw the red card from referee Daniel Schlager (Hügelsheim) after an emergency brake on Hoffenheim attacker Georginio Rutter. There was also a penalty after video evidence. Svensson was cautioned for complaining – and Kramaric put the ball wide of the goal from the point.
After about an hour, the Mainz team put everything on one card and played offensively, despite being outnumbered. That was promptly punished.
TSG Hoffenheim – FSV Mainz 05: The voices
Andre Breitenreiter (TSG Hoffenheim coach): “It was the tough game we expected. We ran behind in the early stages. We were lucky that we didn’t fall behind. In the second half it was a mature performance from my team.”
Bo Svensson (coach FSV Mainz 05): “It was a game with two phases – the phase before and after the red card. Before the red card we have to take the lead. We were a bit naïve when we conceded the first goal. I was satisfied with the performance before the red card. “
TSG Hoffenheim – FSV Mainz 05: The data for the game
