Jesse Marsch assembled his team a few seconds after the final whistle for the first error analysis on the pitch. While the Leipzig coach spoke urgently to his disappointed and disappointing players, his counterpart clapped hands in rows on the Hoffenheim coaching bench and couldn’t get out of the grin. Sebastian Hoeneß was relieved.
Thanks to a passionate performance, TSG Hoffenheim deservedly won 2-0 (1-0) against the RB Leipzig team, which had previously been unbeaten in seven Bundesliga games in a row. For their part, the Kraichgauer made the connection to the international ranks with the fifth win of the season. “That was very close to 100 percent. The game was clearly about the fight and we played very hard defensively,” said Hoffenheim’s Kevin Akpoguma: “After conquering the ball, we made it through play very quickly. I’m very proud of the boys. “
It looks completely different in Leipzig: It is an unusual misery. Even after their sixth Bundesliga away game, the Saxons have not yet won on a foreign pitch. “Certainly a well-deserved victory for Hoffenheim. There was more will on the field, they played better than us in every phase. It’s hard for me to understand why,” said coach Jesse Marsch, who took note of the helpless actions of his players at the Sideline had repeatedly acknowledged with shaking his head. After an extremely mixed start to the season, uncomfortable days are now waiting for him. Only a victory in the Champions League on Wednesday in (!) Bruges should calm the situation.
RB Leipzig criticizes Saxony’s politics
In addition to Leipzig’s weakness away from home, RB will also have to compete at home without their own fans in the future. The Saxon state government had reintroduced the ghost games because of the rapidly increasing corona numbers in Saxony. The Bundesliga team responded with criticism: “We have no understanding that the Saxon government even allowed this situation to occur,” the club wrote on its website, “the highest infection rate of all federal states, along with the lowest vaccination rate, is evidence of this. that politicians in Saxony have not yet managed to implement viable concepts to effectively contain the pandemic. ” One will “accept and respect” the new legal situation, emphasized RB.
After the game, Marsch said: “A lot of people are sick and died, so you have to find solutions. It’s difficult to be back in this situation now,” added the 48-year-old. But the measures are “more important than football”, even if football is important for people’s motivation to live.
In Hoffenheim, Diadie Samassekou (12th) and Munas Dabbur (68th) scored the goals for TSG, which missed several promising opportunities for an even bigger victory. For TSG it was the third win in the eleventh Bundesliga duel with Leipzig in front of just 13,233 spectators and the fourth home win this season.
Instead of the injured Dane Yussuf Poulsen (torn muscle fiber), the Portuguese Andre Silva was able to prove himself from the start for the first time in a month. “He was in the best shape of his career,” said RB coach Jesse Marsch before the game, with a view to Poulsen’s failure. His substitute remained harmless until he was substituted after around 70 minutes. Hoeneß had changed his team to five positions – partly by force.
As expected, the game came too early for Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric after his clash with an opponent in the World Cup qualifier against Russia. Dabbur played for him. Georginio Rutter had the first chance for TSG from 18 meters, but his shot just missed the right post (3rd). Then Hoffenheim benefited from a mistake by the RB goalkeeper: Peter Gulacsi sailed under a corner from Geiger, Samassekou headed in free. It was the first Bundesliga goal for the Malian.
Three minutes later, Rutter missed the double strike: from seven meters he tunneled Lukas Klostermann, but spiked the ball inches past the post. Leipzig seemed insecure and lacking in ideas. Among other things, Kevin Akpoguma missed promising opportunities to make it 2-0 with a tight low shot (24th) and Stefan Posch with a head (35th). For a few seconds, TSG continued their usury of opportunities. Rutter freely forgave in front of Gulacsi, shortly afterwards the French headed past the gate. Leipzig continued to struggle, TSG defended solidly. Dabbur scored the long overdue 2-0 after a counterattack from 18 meters.