The long international break finally passed and the Bundesliga has returned for another match day. TSG Hoffenheim took on VFL Wolfsburg at the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena in front of 23,813 spectators.
Hoffenheim came into this game off the back of a one-all draw away to Werder Bremen in Match day two. In this game, the home side created the first chance, Bosnian Sead Salihovic received a pass from Modeste in a central position in front of the goal but his shot was saved well by Benaglio diving to his right.
Wolfsburg also coming into this game off a draw, had their first chance of the game after seventeen minutes with a counterattack, Caligiuri leading the attack, he stored into the penalty area, his right-footed shot on goal was wasted and his shot flew over the bar. Wolfsburg’s chances kept coming thick and fast, Rodriguez found Olic but the clinical finisher skied his shot from an acute angle.
Oliver Baumann was called into action in the twenty-fifth minute from Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian broke costless in the Hoffenheim penalty area but the Hoffenheim summer signing saved his shot. Caligiuri and De Bruyne linked up from right side, De Bruyne volleyed Caligiuri’s cross but his shot was no threat to Baumann as it was defended well by the home side. Firmino was dispossessed and De Bruyne countered, he had options either side but his selfish approach came to no avail as his shot sailed high and wide. Just a half chance for the Lower Saxony side, Naldo’s costless kick from 30 yards was blocked, not one of his trademark pile drivers.
Amid the heavy away pressure, a chance came for the home side, Hoffenheim countered, Rudy found himself with possession in the centre, his shot tame as the deflection was kind and Benaglio could pick up with ease.
Wolfgang Stark brought the half to a close. Very one sided first half from Wolfsburg but the away side couldn’t capitalise on Hoffenheim’s poor defending and the sides went in 0-0 at half time.
Early chances for Hoffenheim, Firmino crossed from the right side to Szalai but his header couldn’t beat Benaglio with the pace it had and the Swiss international held the shot. Five minutes before the hour mark the deadlock was broken, Hoffenheim’s talisman Anthony Modeste. Elyounoussi and Beck linked up, Beck’s cross kindly deflected over the Wolfsburg defence and Modeste swopped in to take it away from Benaglio.
Pressing for the equaliser, Olic and De Bruyne had the goal at their mercy after their one two’s all over the pitch from an incisive counter attack, Olic slipped De Bruyne through, goal at his mercy but he elected to go for power and that decision was a poor one and his shot sailed over the bar once again. The chances kept coming for Wolfsburg, Knoche broke costless in the Hoffenheim box from De Bruyne’s corner, he couldn’t make the most of the opponents lack of concentration and headed over.
Finally the lead had been cancelled out a minute before the end. Caligiuri’s teasing right footed cross into the box, to the Bundesliga legend, Ivica Olic’s left footed finish trickled into the bottom corner, as Baumann couldn’t keep it out.