Bundesliga
Dennis Geiger got the only goal of the game as Hoffenheim beat Augsburg to register their third straight Bundesliga win and inflict a third defeat of the season on the Bavarians.
Hoffenheim 1-0 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Geiger 39’ (assist: Skov)
Hoffenheim were quicker into their step and Andrej Kramaric beat the offside trap to get beyond the Augsburg defence only to fire his shot over the crossbar after a handful of minutes. Ermedin Demirovic got past the Hoffenheim defence at the other end to deliver the guests’ first shot of the day, though he tried to hook it towards goal with the outside of his right boot when he would have been better placed using his left. Georginio Rutter wasted a similarly good chance in for Hoffenheim, trying to turn the ball in with his unfavoured right foot when a swing of the left might have been a better choice from Christoph Baumgartner’s cutback. Conversely, Geiger not only chose the correct foot, but also made a perfect connection with Robert Skov’s lay-off to put the hosts in front with a sweet strike into the top left-hand corner.
Baumgartner fired Hoffenheim’s first shot of the second half over the crossbar as the hosts again made the better start to the second half. That was not lost on Augsburg coach Enrico Maaßen, who waited just 10 minutes before making changes. His first substitutes Florian Niederlechner and Ruben Vargas gave the guests a clear boost, but chances were nonetheless at a premium – at both ends. Jacob Bruun Larsen could have clinched it for Hoffenheim with a shot which Rafal Gikiewicz pushed away from his near post, Munas Dabbur should have wrapped up the points, but he squandered two one-against-one chances against Gikiewicz, and dragged another effort wide. It was ultimately of little consequence though, as Hoffenheim held on for a third straight win.
Hoffenheim: Baumann (c) - Kabak, Vogt, Akpoguma - Skov (Kaderabek 62'), Prömel, Geiger (Rudy 62'), Angelino - Baumgartner (Dabbur 72') - Kramaric (Samassekou 80'), Rutter (Bruun Larsen 80')
Unused subs: Philipp, Stiller, Damar, Posch
Out: Bebou (knee), Bicakcic (knee), Hübner (ankle), Nsoki (thigh), Pentke (elbow)
Coach: Andre Breitenreiter
Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Bauer, Gouweleeuw (c), Framberger (Petkov 77')- Pedersen, Maier (Caligiuri 77'), Rexhbecaj, Iago – Jensen (Gruezo 80') – Demirovic (Niederlechner 56'), Pepi (Vargas 56')
Unused subs: Klein, Gumny, Baumgartlinger, Malone
Out: Dorsch (metatarsal), Hahn (ankle), Oxford (knee), Sarenren Bazee (cruciate ligament), Strobl (knee), Uduokhai (ankle), Winther (muscular)
Coach: Enrico Maaßen