Grillitsch brace as Hoffenheim end winless run

Hoffenheim 3-1 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Grillitsch (17'), 1-1 Caligiuri (31'), 2-1 Grillitsch (46'), 3-1 Bebou (50')

Without a league win since beating Bayern Munich 4-1 in September, Hoffenheim set about rectifying that record right away. They settled into their passing rhythm quickly and were the dominant side in the opening exchanges, albeit without seriously troubling Rafal Gikiewicz in the Augsburg goal. That changed on 17 minutes when Christoph Baumgartner dribbled into the box from the left and floated a cross to the back post for Grillitsch to head in the opener. The hosts could have put the game beyond Augsburg’s reach by half-time, with Grillitsch, Baumgartner and Andrej Kramaric all either missing the target or failing to beat Gikiewicz. They were made to pay on the half-hour mark when Daniel Caligiuri rose above Ryan Sessegnon to head in Michael Gregoritsch’s deep cross and put Augsburg on level terms at half-time.

Hoffenheim coach Sebastian Hoeneß clearly gave his charges the hairdryer treatment during the interval, and they duly blew Augsburg away at the start of the second half. Grillitsch registered his first career brace just 27 after the restart, collecting Ihlas Bebou's header before flicking it over Jeffrey Gouweleeuw's head and lashing his side in front again. Bebou soon added his name to the scoresheet, chasing down Kramaric's pass before cutting past two defenders and firing low into the bottom corner. Kramaric and Gregoritsch each had goals disallowed for offside at either end in an open encounter, but Hoffenheim never looked like letting their lead slip after establishing a two-goal cushion, and move up to 12 points with their third league win of the season.

• Hoffenheim scored with their first shot of the game. It was Grillitsch’s first headed goal in Germany’s top flight, and his first goal at all since March 2018, ending a 74-game drought.
• Grillitsch struck his first-ever career brace.
• Caligiuri’s goal was his 44th in the Bundesliga, and also the first with his head.
• His effort in the 31st minute was also the earliest Augsburg have found the net in the league this season.
• Marek Suchy made his first Bundesliga start for Augsburg since 17 June.
• Bebou's goal was his second of 2020/21. Hoffenheim scored with their first two shots of the second half.

Watch: Grillitsch: “I hope to get in scoring situations more often”

Hoffenheim: Baumann (c) - Posch, Vogt, Nordtveit, Sessegnon - Rudy (Skov69'), Samassekou - Grillitsch, Baumgartner (Gacinovic 87'), Kramaric - Bebou
Unused subs: Pentke, Dabbur, Adams, Akpoguma, John, Bogarde, Klauss
Out: Adamyan (not included), Bicakcic (knee), Bruun Larsen (not included), Geiger (suspended), Hübner (ankle), Kaderabek (muscular), Stafylidis (shoulder)
Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Framberger (Gumny 72'), Gouweleeuw (c), Suchy, Uduokhai - Caligiuri, Gruezo, Strobl, Vargas - Niederlechner, Gregoritsch (Richter 61')
Unused subs: Koubek, Götze, Khedira, Cheon, Oxford, Civeja
Out: Bazee (knee), Finnbogason (ankle), Hahn (not included), Iago (knock), Jensen (ankle), Moravek (thigh), Pedersen (muscular)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich