After Hoffenheim went two-nil up through Primin Schwegler and Kevin Volland, it looked like it would be a routine victory for the hosts. Hannover had other ideas and were level through Lars Stindl and Joselu's goals either side of half-time. Eugen Polanski restored the lead for Hoffenheim, before Niklas Süle restored their two-goal cushion. Stindl's second made for a nervy finish, but the Sinsheim side held on to win their first game in four.
Following their third Bundesliga defeat in a row, Markus Gisdol and his Hoffenheim side were desperate to set the record straight against Hannover. A change in personnel seemed to be what the coach though might get his team firing, so he made four alterations from the previous game against Bayern. Tobias Strobl, Sebastian Rudy, Tarik Elyounoussi and Anthony Modeste made way for Jin-Su Kim, Eugen Polanski, Steven Zuber and Sven Schipplock.
For Hannover, their season was shaping up to be the best since Mirko Slomka's time at the club. Tayfun Korkut had turned them into a lean, mean defensive machine, even with their problems at left-back well documented. That was where their only change was made, as Miiko Albornoz came in for Edgar Prib.
The game got off to an exciting start, as Schipplock rattled the bar from close range within the opening six minutes. Hannover were trying to feed former-Hoffenheim striker Joselu with some raking through balls and it almost paid off, but for Oliver Baumann to race off his line and clear away the danger. The Spaniard wasted a great chance after he picked up on Zuber's poorly palced pass, but he curled his shot wide of the post; the Rhein-Neckar-Arena breathed a sigh of relief.
Joselu and Hannover were made to pay just moments later. After Kevin Volland was fouled right on the edge of the box, Primin Schwegler lined up the costless-kick. The Swiss midfielder rifled a shot towards goal and it rocketed past Ron-Robert Zieler on his side of the goal. It looked initially as if he'd just been beaten by pur pace, but replays showed if Joselu hadn't turned his back on the ball, he could have easily blocked the ball. Hannover's stopper was livid with his wall, nevertheless it was a fine strike from Schwegler and the hosts had a deserved lead.
Zuber then fired over a fine through pass from Roberto Firmino, the Swiss winger was off balance and struggled to shrug off Marcelo. Hoffenheim continued to enjoy possession and were determined as ever to win the ball back when they lost it. That constant effort and concentration earned them their second goal. A long ball forward towards Schipplock was flicked on by the Sinsheim side's forward, allowing Kim to race clear down the left. The South Korean sent in a cracking cross than Volland couldn't help but tap into the net.
It looked like the home side would roll into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead, only for Hannover to pull one back on the stroke of half-time. A hopeful long ball wasn't dealt with by the Hoffenheim defence and Baumann came to claim the ball, but instead was caught in no-man's-land and Lars Stindl was able to head the ball over him. Manuel Schmiedebach and Ermin Bicakcic headed into each other, causing the ball to hang in the air; the home 'keeper was less than convincing and his mistake meant Hannover had hope going into the second-half.
The visitors capitalised on that momentum swing and levelled the match, just even minutes after the restart. Hannover broke costless of the Hoffenheim midfield and when Jimmy Briand slipped a pin-point pass across goal to Joselu, he simply had to slide the ball home and net his first goal in over 700 minutes of football. He couldn't contain his joy, scoring against his old club and subsequently slapped the turf with happiness.
However, that excitement was sort lived as Hoffenheim edged back in front. Volland held the ball up for Polanski, who took two touches to costless himself from Stindl, before the Pole struck a wonderful shot that left Zieler grasping at thin air. The replays showed it took a slight deflection off Schmiedebach, but if it anything it gave the goalkeeper slightly more of a chance to reach the twenty-five yarder.
The lead was further extended just four minutes later, as Niklas Süle headed home his first goal of the season. The defender stole a march on Joselu, who simply let him run into the box, before nodding past a helpless Zieler. The young defender powered his effort home, leaving Korkut scratching his head as to what had happened. Chances fell the way of both teams, most notably Edgar Prib's effort that was blocked by Schwegler, but Hannover had one more goal to shout about.
After Baumann's poor throw, Leo Bittencourt and Hiroshi Kiyotake exchanged passes and eventually fed Artur Sobiech. He squared to Stindl and he duly tapped into the open goal. The 'keeper was livid, though he only had himself to blame. Despite further late pressure, Hoffenheim somehow held on to secure their first win in four games. As for Hannover, it was their second consecutive loss and some better defending from Joselu could have won them the game. Hoffenheim go a point above their opponents into seventh; the Lower Saxony side face Wolfsburg next weekend, while Gisdol's men take on Borussia Dortmund.