- Hoffenheim continues to feel the pressure from Würzburg
In the DFB-Pokalfight, Bundesliga team TSG 1899 Hoffenheim narrowly escaped a disgraceful defeat against fourth-division side Würzburg Kickers, winning 5-3 on penalties after an exhilarating match that ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time. No indication of a talent gap could be spotted between the two teams.
A mistake from stand-in Hoffenheim goalkeeper Luca Philipp presented Würzburg with an early lead in the 11th minute, with Enes Kuc scoring in front of 9,511 fans. Hoffenheim drew level thanks to an own goal by Ebrahim Farahnak in the 18th minute.
Moritz Hannemann's goal sent Würzburg's stadium into a frenzy in the 100th minute, but Marius Bülter's equalizer in the 107th minute forced the game into penalties. In the shootout, Philipp delivered a big save against Würzburg's captain Dominik Meisel.
Würzburg enjoyed an exciting cup evening, reinforcing their league hopes. However, they failed to exact revenge for their 2019 first-round encounter, where they also drew 3-3 after extra time before losing on penalties. In a similar predicament, they fell once again.
Troubling times for Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim's mediocre performance further exacerbated their problematic preparations. After long-time manager Alexander Rosen and most of his coaching staff departed, Hoffenheim's squad is still not fully assembled following Maximilian Beier's €30 million transfer to Borussia Dortmund.
Philipp, stepped in for Oliver Baumann, made a terrible misjudgment of a routine backpass from Kevin Akpoguma, allowing Kuc to score early on.
Farahnak's own goal was unusual. The defender, recently signed from VSG Altglienicke, inadvertently deflected Alexander Prass's shot into his own net.
Just before half-time, Würzburg's goalkeeper Johann Hipper blocked a Jacob Bruun Larsen shot onto the post. Two minutes later, Hannemann's goal was disallowed due to a prior handball.
Creating opportunities remained a challenge for Hoffenheim. The return of Mergim Berisha, who had been out for nine months due to a cruciate ligament injury, gave them some encouragement. However, it was the penalty shootout where Hoffenheim ultimately secured their progression to the next round.
Despite the close match, Germany's Bundesliga team TSG 1899 Hoffenheim faced criticism for their performance, continuing their struggle after the departure of their manager. Despite falling behind early due to an error from stand-in goalkeeper Philipp, Hoffenheim managed to secure their place in the next round against Würzburg Kickers, a fourth-division side from Germany.
