Bundesliga
Fisnik Asllani scored twice as Hoffenheim defeated Union Berlin 4-2 in an action-packed Bundesliga clash at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Union Berlin 2-4 HoffenheimGoals: 0-1 Kramarić 45+1’ (pen.), 0-2 Asllani (assist: Lemperle) 45+3’, 1-2 Ansah 49’, 1-3 Asllani 51’, 2-3 Rothe 71’, 2-4 Lemperle 83’ (pen.)Red card: Rothe 82’
Hoffenheim arrived at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei looking to continue their strong away form, having gone unbeaten in their last three Bundesliga matches on the road. Union, meanwhile, entered the fixture with confidence, having won their last three encounters against the Sinsheim club. The crowd was in good voice following a touching pre-match scene that saw players accompanied onto the pitch by children from a Berlin hospice.
The match began with a cautious opening period, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances. Asllani had the first notable opportunity, forcing Frederik Rønnow into an early save. Oliver Burke was a constant threat for Union with his blistering pace, coming closest for the hosts when he rounded Oliver Baumann midway through the first half, only for Bernardo to recover brilliantly and clear his effort.
With the half seemingly headed for a goalless conclusion, the match burst into life in stoppage time. First, Leopold Querfeld fouled Bazoumana Toure in the box, allowing Andrej Kramarić to coolly convert the resulting penalty. Then, just two minutes later, Tim Lemperle delivered a pinpoint cross that Asllani headed home, giving the visitors a stunning 2-0 lead at the break.
Union emerged from the interval with renewed purpose and quickly pulled a goal back through Ilyas Ansah, who pounced after Baumann fumbled a cross.
The hosts' joy was short-lived, however, as Asllani restored Hoffenheim's two-goal advantage just two minutes later, finishing from close range following excellent work by Toure.
Undeterred, Union continued to press forward and were rewarded when Tom Rothe fired home following a corner kick melee to make it 3-2. The home side's momentum was abruptly halted in the 82nd minute when Rothe was shown a straight red card for pulling back Lemperle in the box.
Lemperle himself stepped up to convert the penalty with a cheeky chip, restoring Hoffenheim's two-goal cushion and effectively ending Union's resistance. Despite nine minutes of added time, the visitors comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to secure an impressive 4-2 victory.
Asllani returned to his hometown to haunt his former youth club with a match-winning performance. The Berlin-born forward, who played for Union's academy between 2016 and 2020, scored twice and was a constant threat throughout. His well-placed header just before half-time doubled Hoffenheim's advantage at a crucial moment, and his second goal immediately after Union had pulled one back demonstrated his predatory instinct and clinical finishing.
Asllani's ability to be in the right place at the right time proved decisive, and his two goals from four shots highlighted his efficiency in front of goal. The striker also contributed to Hoffenheim's build-up play and earned the highest fantasy manager points total (367) of any player in the match, making him a worthy recipient of the Player of the Match award.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Union Berlin 3.69 - Hoffenheim 2.9
Fastest player: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), 35.67 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-2 by Fisnik Asllani (Hoffenheim), 17.57 percent
Most pressed player: Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), 28 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), +3.16
Fantasy Heroes: Fisnik Asllani (Hoffenheim, 367 Points), Ilyas Ansah (Union, 264 Points), Tim Lemperle (Hoffenheim, 258 Points)