Status: 02/01/2023 8:33 p.m
Defending champions RB Leipzig deservedly made it into the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup. TSG Hoffenheim was far too passive for a long time, the Bulls could have won much better on Wednesday (02/01/2023).
In the 3: 1 (2: 0) success, RB could have saved themselves stress in the end if Marco Rose’s team had acted more consistently beforehand. Three quarters of an hour came from the guests just as little as last time in the Bundesliga, where the ambitious TSG suddenly even has to fight relegation.
“No fireworks, but serious”
“It wasn’t fireworks, but it was a deserved win and serious. We showed from the start that we want to get through,” said Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg after the final whistle and looked ahead: “We have to stay on this path.”
TSG new signing Thomas Delaney said: “We have to stay positive. Now it’s important to get good body language and then at some point to play nice football again.” His goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was dismayed: “Even in phases where we’re in the game well, we concede abnormal goals. That’s absolutely disappointing.”
Subdued mood after medical emergency
The mood in the Leipzig Arena was very subdued from the start because there was a medical emergency shortly before kick-off: a fan had to be resuscitated and taken to the hospital. The early lead of the hosts did not change the silence in the stadium. In the 8th minute, Emil Forsberg was pulled into the center from the left flank unchallenged by Kevin Akpoguma and Ozan Kabak – and nailed the ball into the short corner from 18 meters.
After that, Leipzig controlled the game without much brilliance, from Hoffenheim there was almost nothing offensive. Oerjan Nyland, who played in the Bulls’ goal instead of the slightly injured Janis Blaswich and the long-term injured Peter Gulacsi, was completely unemployed in the first half – although guest coach André Breitenreiter had put up quite courageously with four trained strikers.
Laimer puts the lid on early
Hoffenheim’s idea was actually to have Munas Dabbur in the center of the attack as a starting point, behind which Andrej Kramaric, Ihlas Bebou and Christoph Baumgartner should keep pushing forward. But there was no implementation, and nothing worked on the defensive either: After a shot by Marcel Halstenberg that was poorly blocked by Baumann, Konrad Laimer was able to take the ball in the penalty area, turn around Baumgartner and execute it into the far corner to make it 2-0 (41st minute). ).
André Silva with a header (43rd) and seconds later Timo Werner with a low shot could have increased before the change of sides, but even so the lid seemed to be on it early on.
Dolberg creates tension again
In the second round, the balance of power did not change for 25 minutes. Leipzig kept the pressure halfway up, but in the end – especially through Werner – the final consequence was repeatedly missing. Hoffenheim still had nothing going forward, up to the 75th minute there were only two shots on goal. But the third was in.
Angelino, whom Leipzig had given to TSG as part of David Raum’s commitment, hit an excellent cross that winter newcomer Kasper Dolberg ice-coldly nodded off – suddenly tension was back in the game in the 77th minute.
Poulsen with the decisive pass
And Leipzig’s negligence almost took revenge again, but Dabbur missed the possible 2:2 from close range (81st). Shortly afterwards, Ozan Kabak lost the ball while building up the game, Dominik Szoboszlai staged substitute Yussuf Poulsen, who put the ball perfectly through to Werner: The game was decided with the 3-1 in the 83rd minute.
Shortly before the end, Hoffenheim weakened again: Stanley N’Soki saw the yellow-red card for indiscipline in the 86th minute.
Leipzig now against 1. FC Köln
In the league for Hoffenheim on Saturday (February 4th, 2023) in Bochum it’s about not slipping completely down. Leipzig, on the other hand, can continue the successful Bayern hunt on the same day at 1. FC Köln.
Source: sportschau.de