FCA lose to Hoffenheim 2-0

On matchday 25 of the 2017/2018 Bundesliga season, FC Augsburg lost to TSG Hoffenheim 2-0. Andrej Kramaric (30’) and Serge Gnabry (50’) were the goalscorers for the visitors. Head coach Manuel Baum made three changes to the side that drew to Borussia Dortmund on Monday: Daniel Baier, Marcel Heller and Kilian Jakob started the game in the places of Jan Moravek (calf injury), Caiuby (suspended) and Raphael Framberger, who was forced to have surgery that would put an end to his season. It was Jakob’s Bundesliga debut. Augsburg were the more active side in the opening stages, although they found it difficult to actually penetrate their opponent’s lines. So it was Hoffenheim that had the game’s first shot, when Andrej Kramaric tested out Marwin Hitz (17'). Shortly after, Germany international Serge Gnabry took up a dangerous position, but the Swiss goalkeeper saved his attempt well (21’). At the opposite end of the pitch, Jonathan Schmid, did well to dribble past former FCA player Kevin Vogt in the Hoffenheim penalty area, but his shot from a tight angle was tipped over the bar by Oliver Baumann (23’). The opening goal would come after exactly half an hour had been played. Benjamin Hübner took the ball forward on the left hand side of the pitch, before he swung in a cross into the FCA area. Waiting to attack it was Andrej Kramaric and attack it he did, looping a header perfectly into the top left corner of the goal - beyond the outstretched arms of Marwin Hitz (30’). They almost doubled their lead when Schmid failed to clear his lines and instead left the ball free in the box, but Rupp could only find the side netting with his resulting shot (39’). Augsburg went into the dressing room behind by one. Nothing had seem to changed at half time, with FCA coming out in the second half just as out of sorts as they ended the first. Gnabry took advantage of that to double Hoffenheim’s lead (50’). Then it was Nico Schulz’s turn to test Marwin Hitz, but his long-range shot went over (58’). Only two minutes earlier, he could have put the ball into his own net when a back pass went astray, although the ball narrowly missed the gaping goal (56’). The ball would find its way into the TSG net in the seventieth minute though, with Shawn Parker smashing home the ball from a corner. However, the substitute was adjudged to have played the ball from an offside position. While Augsburg went all out to try and get a goal back, Hoffenheim remained threatening on the counter attack. In the 82nd minute, Gregoritsch had the chance to halve the lead once more, but his header went narrowly wide - a common theme from this game. Ultimately, Augsburg were completely devoid of luck on matchday 25 and Hoffenheim travel back to Kraichgau with all three points in tow.