Compared with the 2-0 win against Sparta Prague in the final match in the league phase of the Champions League, head coach Xabi Alonso made four changes to his starting XI: Matej Kovar made way for the return of Lukas Hradecky in goal with Piero Hincapie replacing Nordi Mukiele in the defence. In midfield, Aleix Garcia came in for Exequiel Palacios and Victor Boniface started up front in place of fellow striker Patrik Schick.
Florian Wirtz and Co. took charge of the game from the kick-off in the match on Sunday afternoon but there was initially a long wait for the first big chance. Up to minute 15: Jeremie Frimpong opened an attacking move with a cross from the right wing that ended with Alejandro Grimaldo putting striker Boniface through on the edge of the penalty area. His shot went in from a tight angle for the opener at 1-0. That seemed to break the ice and four minutes later Frimpong was put through through in a counter-attack by Garcia and the Dutchman coolly slotted the ball away to double the lead at 2-0.
The Werkself continued to attack after the early goals. The next threat in the TSG penalty area came on 22 minutes: Hoffenheim's David Jurasek fouled Nathan Tella and referee Robin Braun pointed to the spot. However, VAR intervened due to Tella being offside in the move and the referee changed his decision. This was the first time a referee has communicated his decision via the stadium PA. There was one setback in the otherwise dominant performance of the Black and Reds: Tella went off injured on 42 minutes. He was replaced by new signing Emiliano Buendía. Half-time soon followed.
The Argentinian demonstrated his ability after the restart with an impressive move against his opponent in at one-on-one but the TSG keeper Luca Dante Philipp was able to parry the shot. The ball rebounded to the feet of substitute Schick who made no mistake with his goal for 3-0 (51'). Grimaldo, who was already booked in the first half, was shown a second yellow card on 61 minutes for a foul on Marius Bülter and the referee sent the Spaniard off. The resulting free kick was promptly used to maximum effect by TSG with the extra man as Gift Orban scored from close range to make it 3-1 (62'). Alonso then made a tactical change that resulted in Buendía being substituted and he was replaced by fellow new signing Mario Hermoso.
The match lost its flow in the remaining minutes due to numerous fouls and substitutions. Bayer 04 did not create any more chances but Tah and Co. were resolute in defence to ensure that the victory was not in doubt at any point. So the game ended in a 3-1 win for the Werkself.
The Werkself have another busy week coming up: In three days time, on Wednesday 5 February (kick-off: 20.45 CET), Hradecky and Co. play FC Köln at the BayArena in the quarter-finals of the DFB Pokal. Next weekend takes Bayer 04 to VfL Wolfsburg on Bundesliga Matchday 21. The kick-off at the Volkswagen Arena on Saturday, 8 February, is at 15.30 CET.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong (Arthur 83'), Xhaka, Garcia, Grimaldo – Tella (Buendía 42', Hermoso 67'), Boniface (Schick 46'), Wirtz (Palacios 83')
TSG Hoffenheim: Philipp – Jurasek (Behrens 62'), Akpoguma, Hranac (Mokwa 73'), Chaves – Becker, Geiger (Orban 62’) – Bülter (N'Soki 62’), Bischof, Hlozek – Yardimci (Prass 84’)
Goals: 1-0 Boniface (15’), 2-0 Frimpong (19’), 3-0 Schick (51’), 3-1 Orban (62’)
Yellow cards: Tah, Garcia – Geiger, Yardimci, Bischof, Fröhling (assistant coach)
Red card: Grimaldo
Referee: Robin Braun (Wuppertal)
Attendance: 29,278 (home sections sold out) at the BayArena
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month.
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