Draw in Europe, crisis remains
U17 world champion scores crazy goal and saves TSG
September 25, 2024, 11:11 p.m
TSG Hoffenheim is in crisis in the Bundesliga. Things aren’t looking good in the Europa League for a long time either. TSG has goalkeeper Oliver Baumann to thank for the fact that the game at FC Midtjylland remains open for a long time. Then a teenager comes along and scores a crazy goal.
New competition, old problems: The air is getting thinner for Pellegrino Matarazzo at TSG Hoffenheim after a modest appearance in the Europa League. In their first European Cup game in 1,308 days at the Danish champions FC Midtjylland, the Kraichgauer team couldn’t get past a lucky 1-1 (0-1) draw and continued to put their coach in trouble after three league defeats. Matarazzo and his team should achieve a turnaround by the international break.
Dario Osorio (42nd) scored against the once again shockingly weak TSG defense shortly before the break, U17 world champion Max Moerstedt at least saved a point late on with his fantastic side kick (89th). Only Oliver Baumann saved his team the chance of a draw; the goalkeeper gave an excellent first application for the DFB goal after Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury.
“Fighting, morale, cohesion – that’s true. We have something that we can take with us. But we can definitely play better football,” said Baumann on RTL: “It was important that we stayed in the game. That we equalized at the back , feels good.”
Coach Matarazzo is counted
Things are going haywire at TSG this season; the club has been in crisis since long-time sports director Alexander Rosen and other managing directors were fired at the end of July. Matarazzo also came under criticism after three Bundesliga defeats, and assistant national coach Sandro Wagner was even considered a successor candidate. The head coach was therefore internationally pleased about a “change of scenery, a fresh start, new energy”.
However, little of this new energy could be felt without the sick top performers Andrej Kramaric and Anton Stach – Baumann had to save several times in the early stages. First the 34-year-old showed a strong foot defense against Franculino (3rd), then a great reflex against ex-Wolfsburg Kevin Mbabu (9th). Only Adam Hlozek appeared offensively for TSG. A long-range shot whizzed just wide (10th), Mbabu cleared once on the line (32nd).
“…let Max have a degree”
At the back, after a mistake by youngster Tom Bischof, Baumann had to save again spectacularly with a foot defense against Edward Chilufya (30th), then he dived perfectly into the corner against Joel Andersson (35th). It wasn’t until Osorio’s shot that the keeper was powerless. Even after the change, Baumann remained in the spotlight and had to step into the breach several times for the porous defense. That was a statement in the fight for number one in the DFB team. “In the end, Julian Nagelsmann decides, but we know that Oli has the quality to be number one. I definitely trust him to be number one,” said Matarazzo.
After Mergim Berisha was substituted on, Hoffenheim tried to launch a final offensive – and were rewarded late on by youngster Moerstedt and his sensational goal. A goal that makes the coach particularly proud because he had a special premonition: “You can tell when a player is ready, whether young or old. I said to the coaching team on the bench, let Max have a shot and he will score it Goal. It’s a wonderful goal. You could tell he’s in the game, he’s hot and he really wants a great debut in the Europa League.
