Goals were expected in the Bundesliga clash between Hoffenheim and Borussia Monchengladbach and the two sides played out a very interesting battle.
Despite the visitors seeing the vast majority of the ball it was Hoffenheim who went ahead on the stroke of half time through Anthony Modeste's deflected header.
Kevin Volland scored a fine individual goal to double the advantage but a nervy finish was assured thanks to Branimir Hrgota's neat finish. The hosts, however, maneged to hold on.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello German football fans. We're back for our Sunday double-header. First up is Hoffenheim vs. Gladbach in a game that promises goals. Let's hope it delivers.
The teams are in, so before I go any further here they come...
HOFFENHEIM XI: Casteels; Beck, Abraham, Vestergaard, Johnson; Rudy, Polanski; Herdling, Volland, Elyounoussi; Modeste
GLADBACH XI: Ter Stegen; Jantschke, Stranzl, Dominguez, Daems; Kramer, Xhaka; Herrmann, Arango, Raffael; Kruse
So it's just the two changes for the hosts following their 6-2 hammering by Stuttgart a fortnight ago. Out go Roberto Firmino and Tobias Strobl, with Kai Herdling and Sebastian Rudy coming into the midfield. Will they offer more protection to the massively exposed back four last time?
Lucien Favre, naturally, has decided against changing things. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. His team performed really well to beat Werder 4-1 and the same players get another chance here. He is not a manager who likes to change things and it is the same lineup for the third straight game. The attacking four - Juan Arango, Raffael, Max Kruse and Patrick Herrmann - each helped themselves to a goal and similar will be expected of them this afternoon.
Certainly, with 12 goals in the games featuring these sides before the international break any less than an absolute sackful will be a letdown here. The coaches, though, will want to see more at the back. There is attacking talent from both sides, so there should at least be chances in this one.
Herdling is an interesting decision to start by Markus Gisdol. He has been at the club - on and off - for most of his career and has never really enjoyed an extended run. He will be playing behind Anthony Modeste today and could be a threat from deep with his direct running style.
With five minutes to go until kickoff, a look at the odds tells us that this is a very tough one to call. Even with home advantage Hoffenheim are slight underdogs with 17/10 possible for them. I fyou fancy Gladbach (which I do) then 7/4 can be had. A draw is 13/5.
PREDICTION: There will be goals I feel, but nothing like what these two sides have seen recently. I think Gladbach will nick it by the odd goal, probably 2-1. Incidentally you can find 12/1 for that - but I'd like a percentage if I'm correct.
KICKOFF: We're underway here, with the hosts kicking off.
Neither side has taken control of the early minutes. Raffael has had a couple of neat touches early on, but the passing has been a little out in the final third from both teams. Plenty of side to fix that, though. Hoffenheim looking for width early on with Beck steaming forward from right-back already.
POST! Hoffenheim have seen a lot more of the ball now. Their defensive line is pressing high and they are pinging it around very comfortably. Then Kevin Volland gets an inch of space outside the box, and on the turn strikes the post with his left-footed effort! What an attempt! Ter Stegen was just standing there.
SAVE: This is really good from Hoffenheim, but poor at the back from Gladbach. They allow Elyounoussi to drive into the box down the left, but he shoots near post and Ter Stegen was down comfortably to save.
Slight chance for Arango there, who had broke into the box. It was a good cross from a narrow position by Raffael, but was behind Arango and he could not keep it down.
I've seen another replay of that Volland effort, and he really did deserve better. Think Oscar in the Champions League for Chelsea against Juventus with the turn and instant shot. Since that, though, the visitors have seen much more of the ball.
Gladbach now have a free kick on the corner of the box. Volland is furious as Daems is pulled put tries to get into the box after the contact. It's right on the edge, though, and Arango steps over it.
Instead it was Raffael with his right foot who went for goal but hammered it straight into the wall. This is really well poised at the moment as both teams look to break at pace from deep. Kruse for the visitors is all over the final third at the moment and there is plenty of movement.
Ohh, that's a wicked delivery from Arango. He is so dangerous with his set pieces on the right hand side. There are two white shirts trying to reach it but Casteels is out to push clear. Brave goalkeeping as it reached him quite low among the boots.
That's a good ball from Stranzl to pick out Arango down the left, but he had gone just too early and was offside. That's the threat this fluid front four have, however. With some good passers from deep Gladbach are dangerous.
Stranzl does well there, but I thought he was about to get skinned. Modeste spins a low diagonal pass but Stranzl just backs off enough to have the advantage as the Frenchman drove into the box. This has been an intriguing battle so far.
That's a fine passing move from Gladbach, with all the midfield involved before the overlapping Jantschke gets a chance to cross. It ends up being headed behind - he had a lot of room to pick out one of three white shirts in the box.
Arango just overhits a through-ball there, which Kruse was eager to get on to. He's quick, but not that quick and it runs out of play. The hosts might have been stretched there.
CHANCE! Probably the best sight of goal for the hosts. Modeste beats the offside trap from Volland's ball over the top, but he slightly misjudges it and gets completely under the ball. He was free, but was just checking his run at the wrong time I think.
There have been some really nice passing triangles from Gladbach. Kramer plays a couple of one-twos with Raffael and then Arango, but the second ball back to him saw Gladbach lose the ball. They win it back and go up the other end, winning a corner in the process, which is gathered in the end by Casteels.
Herrmann is coming ever deeper for the ball for the visitors, which is down largely to how high up Hoffenheim are pressing. Raffael does well to nick the ball and take on half the defence, but he is eventually crowded out. Hoffenheim are getting a little sloppy at the back.
BOOKING:There have not been any chances for a while, but Gladbach are still firmly in control. Hoffenheim are being very compact, which is forcing the visitors into one pass too many. Herrmann has space down the right, but loses out. As Hoffenheim break Jantschke brings down Elyounoussi for the first card of the game. He can have no complaints.
Neither side has really seen the whites of either goalkeeper's eyes yet. The closest we came was Volland's incredible effort, but that would have been a moment of magic rather than a well-worked chance.
Beck does get forward at any chance. He tries to combine with Volland, but the striker's pass makes it easy for Dominguez to get across to make the interception. Gladbach are still seeing most of the ball.
Another offside for the visitors as Arango again moved too early to try to get on to a pass down the left from Daems. There are some good tackles in midfield, particularly from the hosts, but a lack of creativity up to this point.
Kruse takes a free kick wide on the left, but it was a bit to loopy which allowed Casteels to run to his right and gather. There needs to be a bit more zip on that type of delivery.
SAVE! It's a double save, but Elyounoussi was offside from the second one. It's Volland with the shot from just outside the box and Ter Stegen is down well to block. He saves the rebound too, as he doesn't know the flag will go up.
CHANCE! Herrmann gets clear down the left side of the box. He is at an angle, but has more time still than he thinks. In the end he slashes his effort wide, and he probably should have worked the keeper.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 1-0 Gladbach (Anthony Modeste)
HALF TIME! Hoffenheim 1-0 Gladbach
Well, before I even have a chance to describe the goal, the whistle is blown. It went in right on the stroke of 45 minutes and was rather fortunate in truth. Elyounoussi did well down the left to cross and Modeste's header takes a huge deflection off Daems and bounces past Ter Stegen.
I'm not sure Hoffenheim deserve to be winning as Gladbach have seen a lot of the ball. That said, Hoffenheim's goal came from one of the few real chances so far. They also struck the post after an absolutely superb Volland effort.
STATISTICS:
The visitors have passed much better so far, with 88% finding the target compared to Hoffenheim's 70%. However, seven shots to six in favour of Gladbach suggests that there is more to this game than having the ball.
I don't see the need for any tactical changes just yet, particularly for Gladbach who have seen a lot of the ball. Hoffenheim's plan of playing deep but pressing in the final third has been effective so far.
KICKOFF: Here we go again then, what will the next 45 minutes bring? The hosts get us back underway.
It has been a strong start to the half for the hosts, who have come out with a lot of energy and are putting pressure on the Gladbach passes.
Good header there from Vestergaard, who used every inch to head away a ball over the top for Kruse. The striker had beaten the offside trap, too, so it was vital. Raffael is flagged offside as Arango tries to find him down the left. Arango should have delayed his pass as Raffael was trying to get back on.
CLOSE: Not a bad effort from Arango, but he was never likely to score from there. He shot on his left from the corner of the box and only managed to find the side-netting. Casteels had it covered, too.
SAVE! Raffael has to score! Herrmann cuts in on the right and finds Raffael in acres on the edge of the box. He directs his effort straight at Casteels when either side would have been the equaliser.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 2-0 Gladbach (Kevin Volland)
That is why he's touted as one of the brightest stars in Germany. It's a pinpoint pass from Modeste, even though it sends Volland a little wide. He turns the defender inside out on to his right foot and slots into the bottom corner. That's a great goal.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: Herdling, who has been quiet, makes way for Tobias Strobl in a move designed to shore up the middle of the park.
BOOKING: Beck is carded for a deliberate handball in order to stop Raffael breaking. A fair card. That sub could prove effective as Strobl can unlock defences with his passing range as Gladbach need to press forward.
Bit of argie-bargie here as Volland leaves his foot in slightly as Ter Stegen tried to clear. Nothing much in it really, but they have a little altercation anyway.
BOOKING: Stranzl screams as he goes down there. Modeste, going for the ball in fairness, comes across him and catches him on the outside of his foot. That's the right decision, even if some of the away players wanted red.
CHANCE: That's really good work by Raffael, who dances into the box and takes three defenders out of the game. It creates space for Kramer to shoot, but his effort was always going over from the edge of the box.
They're still huffing and puffing are the visitors, but Hoffenheim remain tight at the back and there is mostly no way through. They have all their players in their own half, with Modeste the outlet on the break.
GLADBACH SUB: Herrmann has run a lot, but it was not his day today. Branimir Hrgota comes on for him and will probably move up alongside Kruse.
Volland is almost in again as he reacts really quickly to a cross-cum-shot from Modeste. He had moved just too early, though, and was given offside. Either way, Ter Stegen made the save.
GLADBACH SUBS: Ter Stegen does really well to command a corner, but then his attempted through ball is straight at Beck. Modeste is down in the centre circle, but I'm not quite sure why. Meanwhile Arango makes way for Amin Younes and Kramer is off for Luuk de Jong. They're going for it.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: For the hosts, the first goalscorer Modeste makes way after that injury with Sven Schipplock on in his place.
Xhaka is in a bit strongly on Rudy, who has been caught right on the dead leg area. Ouch. He's up pretty quickly, however, and Elyounoussi lines up the free kick. Gladbach clear it.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 2-1 Gladbach (Branimir Hrgota)
That is a great goal! He gets the ball with his back to goal and after a lucky touch manages to turn. He then shifts wide into the box and clips past the onrushing Casteels, with the ball going in off the inside of the post. Game on!
What a waste. The visitors create a nice passing move and Raffael opts for the shot from 25 yards. He gets it up, but not back down and it's a goal kick.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: Rudy cannot recover so is replaced by Niklas Sule, who plays for Germany's Under-19s. He's a big centre-back, so Hoffenheim want to hold this now.
This will be a very interesting end now, as Gladbach continue to get forward. Hrgota is about a yard offside as he tries to get through - the Hoffenheim line has been solid thus far.
They are running out of time, however, and are beginning to resort to more direct stuff. That is where the Hoffenheim defence, now with Sule, will win the battle. Raffael spins delightfully to take the ball down the right. His cross falls to Xhaka but it's blocked. That was a chance.
BOOKING: Abraham goes into the book for basically being done for pace right on the edge of the box. Kruse did well to win the free kick and it's a dangerous spot.
Schipplock blocks in the wall with his face. That will hurt an awful lot but he won't mind if it brings his side the points!
SAVE! Big, big moment! Hrgota does brilliantly on the left and plays in De Jong. He's slightly at an angle but Casteels makes himself huge to beat the effort away.
We're into the final minute and Gladbach are pouring everyone forward. Every blue shirt is on the edge of the box as four minutes stoppage time is indicated.
CHANCE! They are playing with fire the hosts, by sticking their feet in for the tackle all over the place. The ball falls to De Jong from the edge of the box but he skews it wide. Xhaka goes into the book for a late tackle.
I think they might have run out of time. The long balls are not finding the target and Hoffenheim are suddenly less frantic.
Sule dives on to a Volland cross but puts it wide. At the other end Casteels punches right on the edge of his own box. Schipplock is in the corner, this will be it surely.
FULL TIME! Hoffenheim 2-1 Gladbach
That's all from me for this one. My next commentary is up on site - see you over there!
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
