But no penalty in the 95th minute
Hoffenheim’s double strike takes Werder by surprise
4/2/2023 7:26 p.m
The big series of defeats is followed by a small series of wins: Two quick goals after the break bring TSG Hoffenheim three points for staying up in the league. Werder Bremen shortened again, but ultimately tried to equalize in vain. A penalty whistle for Werder in added time is withdrawn.
TSG Hoffenheim used the blunders of the competition in the table basement and collected three big points in the relegation battle. Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team won 2-1 (0-0) against “favorite opponents” Werder Bremen and thanks to the second win in a row can take a deep breath.
Andrej Kramaric (50th) and Christoph Baumgartner (52nd) ensured with their double strike that the Kraichgau continued their upward trend after the international break. Despite a spirited final offensive, Werder did not manage to get more than the first goal from Amos Pieper (76th), who had come on as a substitute 33 seconds earlier. An alleged hand penalty for Bremen was withdrawn in the fifth minute of added time because Werder’s Mitchell Weiser had previously been offside.
Werder conceded their eighth (!) home defeat of the season and have now been waiting for a three-pointer for four games. The Green-Whites have not won any of their last eight league games against Hoffenheim in front of their home crowd. With 31 points, Ole Werner’s team is still secure in the midfield, but the trend is pointing downwards.
“Our boys are ready for the next attack,” Matarazzo announced briskly before the game. The 14-game winless streak seemed forgotten. “You can learn from failures, but success gives courage and validation. It’s important that we stay in attack mode.”
Philipp hits the post in minute 90+2
However, the Kraichgauers did not initially follow the words of their trainer with really big deeds. The guests had more of the game in the early stages and Ihlas Bebou had the first (and only) TSG chance of the first half. But after Werder captain Marco Friedl’s struggling attempt, there was nothing more compelling going forward.
And Werder? With offensive efforts, he held back the first half hour. Then it was Marvin Ducksch who almost shook the Weser Stadium with three chances within five minutes. The striker first failed with a direct attempt at the spectacularly parrying TSG keeper Oliver Baumann (32′), two minutes later his next attempt was blocked by John Anthony Brooks for a corner – and Ducksch also found his third attempt with a low shot from 16 meters in Baumann Master.
In the second half, Hoffenheim got off to a good start. First Kramaric took the lead with a header after a perfectly timed Angelino cross. Two minutes later, Baumgartner raised – also with a header, also from close range – after preliminary work by Pavel Kaderabek.
It took the hosts a few minutes to get back on their feet, but they came on hard in the closing stages. Maximilian Philipp (90+2) hit the post. Then the penalty whistle gave the last hope – before the video assistant reported the offside decision.