TSG Hoffenheim 0-0 Borussia Monchengladbach
Many fans of Germany’s top-flight football scene were keeping an eye on the Hoffenheim-Monchengladbach game. Not only were both teams scoring goals in their past few football games, but both also have quality players that can seemingly produce goals at will.
So one can only imagine the surprise on the face of many when neither team failed to break through the opposing defence as the game ended in a rather quiet draw. This puts a dent on Gladbach’s hopes of a Bundesliga title. Meanwhile, this result also gives Hoffenheim a shot closer to the Champions League spots.
Join the experts at SBOBET as we look at the highs and lows that this uneventful draw provided.
Highlights of the game
The much-anticipated goal-fest started with Hoffenheim opening the hostilities. The hosts, who are slight underdogs in many pre-match analyses made of this fixture, had a fantastic opportunity when Pavel Kaderabek got a chance from point-blank range.
He fired a shot towards the goal during a fourth-minute corner kick, but his effort was thwarted by an alert Yann Sommer who made a fabulous save to keep the score even. Many of the 30,000-strong fans who went to the Rhein-Neckar-Arena probably expected a good outing from their team after that play.
However, the visiting Borussia managed to make the crowd with their own attack in eleven minutes. Alassane Plea, the owner of one of the most dangerous pair of boots in the Bundesliga, took a shot towards the bottom-right corner. The keeper managed to pull off a save to prevent adding to his eight-goal tally.
Kaderabek had a shot at redemption in the fifteenth minute as he got another sitter after getting to a cross inside Gladbach’s penalty box, but the goal went too high. Die Fohlen star Thorgan Hazard, whose transfer rumours relating to Bayern Munich is making major Budnesliga 2018 new, took his shot outside the box in the 24th minute. Unfortunately for him, his shot was just a tad above the crossbar.
What followed Hazard’s shot was probably the most frustrating moments for plenty of Hoffenheim fans. Andrej Kramaric and Joelinton managed to score goals during set-piece scuffles. However, both goals were called offside by the linesmen and the VAR.
The half ended in frustration for both Die Kraichgauer players and fans. They could have easily gotten a sizeable lead and erase the pain caused by their Champions League defeat during the midweek, but Gladbach’s brilliant offside traps robbed them of such chances. Meanwhile, it was a prime opportunity for Dieter Hecking’s men to regroup.
Gladbach started the reset with a brilliant play from Hazard. Eden’s younger brother sent shivers down the spine of many supporters when he got the ball past Oliver Baumann. Fortunately for the hosts, the linesman also called the goal offside.
Reiss Nelson and Joelinton tried to give the side some reason to cheer in the second half as they tried to strike a goal close to the 70-minute mark, but both attempts weren’t able to be converted into goals.
It seemed like the game was meant to end uneventfully, but Hoffenheim were determined to stop this from being another draw against a strong side. Ishak Belfodil, Adam Szalai and Ermin Bicakcic had chances in the game’s dying embers to ice the game and get the three points for Hoffenheim, but not a single one of their shots managed to go to the net.
Many of the visiting Gladbach fans sighed in relief as the game ended with both sides having to settle for a point in an unexciting draw.
Key statistics
This was definitely a game that Gladbach stole from Hoffenheim. The hosts had 61% possession, 13 free kicks, and six corner attempts. However, only six of the 27 shot attempts they made were on target. Sommer was also in fantastic form as he made six big saves.
One of the biggest reasons for Gladbach’s underwhelming outing was the ineffectiveness of Hazard and Plea. Hazard only had two shot attempts and 76% pass completion rate while Plea only managed to take a shot once.
If Gladbach were to at least challenge for the title, their stars must be able to attack the goal more regularly.
What’s next?
Things still aren’t peachy for Hoffenheim, but this draw should give them enough hunger to perform better. They might see themselves as slight favourites by the Bundesliga 2018 odds when they face Werder Bremen next, but Julian Nagelsmann must encourage his players to keep playing the quality of football they showcased in this game.
Meanwhile, Gladbach have a very winnable game against Nurnberg. However, the most important fixture is their pre-Christmas duel against Borussia Dortmund in the Borussen derby. Depending on how the coming fixture goes, this could be the most important six-pointer in the season.
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