Points shared after thrilling contest
Hoffenheim and Union Berlin shared the spoils in an exciting contest that saw the game end in a 2-2 draw.
| Taiwo Awoniyi. |
Union Berlin took the lead after ten minutes when their two wing-backs combined superbly. Gießelmann found himself on the end of a wonderful Julian Ryerson cross. The left wing-back headed straight at Oliver Baumann, but the Hoffenheim goalkeeper could not do anything about Gießelmann scoring from the rebound. It was Gießelmann's second-ever Bundesliga goal.
The Berlin side's lead did not last long though. Just four minutes later Hoffenheim levelled through right-back Akpoguma. Andrej Kramarić fed the ball wide for Angelo Stiller to cross the ball. The floated cross found Akpoguma, who was free in the box and made no mistake with a powerful headed effort.
The exciting start continued, as moments later Max Kruse rattled the bar from a long-range free-kick.
Union Berlin had another chance in the 20th minute when Awoniyi found himself one-on-one with Baumann, but the goalkeeper made a superb save to deny the striker.
Hoffenheim responded with a chance of their own. Bruun Larsen forced Andreas Luthe into a smart save.
The relentless game continued, and in the 30th minute, the home fans were celebrating their team's second goal of the game. Kramarić, who assisted three goals last weekend, was the creator once again. The Croatian played a piercing pass through the away side's defence. The ball put Bruun Larsen through on goal and he made no mistake, sliding the ball past Luthe, who could only get a hand to it. That was not enough to deny the Dane, and the goal ensured the home side went into half-time with the lead.
The second half started just like the first, in an exhilarating fashion. Union Berlin equalised two minutes into the second period with Awoniyi scoring his fourth goal in all competitions this season. The Nigerian latched onto Kruse's marvellous pass and fired the ball towards goal forcing Baumann into a save. Fortunately for the away side, the ball rebounded back to the striker, who finished nicely at the second time of asking.
Awoniyi tried to return Kruse the favour in the 62nd minute. The Union Berlin striker laid the ball off for Kruse, who struck the ball fiercely, but he was denied by a magnificent save from Baumann.
Baumann kept up his impressive display when he was forced back into action in the 74th minute. Hoffenheim's goalkeeper denied Rani Khedira who tried to poke the ball home from a corner.
Union Berlin were reduced to ten-man in stoppage time when Marvin Friedrich picked up his second yellow card.
The result means Hoffenheim have not lost in their last nine Bundesliga matches. After a trip to Finland on Thursday, Union Berlin will be fairly happy with the point.