Hoffenheim hit dreary Darmstadt for six

If Die Lillien fans' hoped their demotion to the second division could be softened with an encouraging home performance, they would be sorely mistaken this afternoon. TSG Hoffenheim took no mercy as Ihlas Bebou rounded Brunst inside two minutes. Maximilian Beier got off the mark in the 6th minute with another deep run in behind the Darmstadt rearguard.

Pavel Kadeřábek latched onto Grillitsch's long ball to clip home a third with the help of the post. With Darmstadt heads dropping, Andrej Kramarić delivered the perfect corner for Ozan Kabak to thump home. The scoreboard read 5-0 before the break - Oliver Baumann initiated the counterattack, feeding Bebou centrally who slipped in Beier for his second. A neat finish into the right corner left Brunst no hope.

The Sinsheim-based club didn't let up after the interval. Kramarić unlocked room for Bebou to tear past Nürnberger and fire to the net. Torsten Lieberknecht's temper clear to see as he throttled the plexiglass in the Darmstadt dugout. Gerrit Holtmann offered some relief as substitutes urgently refreshed the hosts despite the damage already done. 

As the game neared it's conclusion it appeared that Pellegrino Matarazzo's side had bagged their seventh goal. David Jurasek would be left disappointed as Kramarić took up an offside position in the build-up. Regardless, a chastening result for Darmstadt at the Stadion am Bollenfalltor. Their last home Bundesliga of the campaign ending on a sour note.