Europa League: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim wins at Slovan Liberec

TSG Hoffenheim has reached the intermediate round of the Europa League. For this, the team of coach Sebastian Hoeneß handed a 2-0 (0-0) at Slovan Liberec. Christoph Baumgarter took the lead (77th minute), Andrej Kramarić scored with a penalty (89th). With 12 points and four wins from four games, Hoffenheim leads the table in Group L ahead of Red Star Belgrade (9 points) and can no longer be pushed to third place.

Hoffenheim had won the first leg against a heavily weakened opponent 5-0 (2-0). 15 players were not available to the Czechs at the time due to the Corona crisis. It was also the first competitive game for Liberec after almost a month’s break.

In the Czech Republic, the hosts showed themselves to be defensively improved, which for long periods meant that nothing happened on the pitch. Although Hoffenheim had more than 70 percent possession of the ball, the Bundesliga side only had few chances. That may also have been due to the fact that Hoffenheim rotated vigorously: Only four players who were on the pitch in the 3: 3 against Stuttgart at the weekend also played in the Czech Republic from the start.

Logically, a standard situation caused the first upset of the game. After a corner, Christoph Baumgartner hit the post from short distance (30th). Except for a header chance by Klauss, nothing happened before the break (44th). Liberec had no chance of scoring.

After the break the same picture. Hoffenheim had the game under control, but only up to the opponent’s penalty area. 20 minutes before the end, the hosts did more for the offensive – only a win would have given Liberec realistic chances of making it into the second round. The only good chance to score came from a free kick, but both Taras Kacharaba and Imad Rondic couldn’t reach the flank in the six-yard box (72nd).

Five minutes later, TSG scored their first chance after the break. Baumgartner’s neither particularly hard nor placed shot from 15 meters let Liberec goalkeeper Filip Nguyen slip through his arms. Shortly before the end, Kamso Mara then went with a cross towards the six-yard area with his arm to the ball, although his goalkeeper would have had the ball. Kramarić turned safely (89th).