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Sinsheim (dpa) - The first league goals conceded after more than eleven hours, the first defeat after nine games: The series of the top team VfL Wolfsburg in the second half of the season are torn.
The Champions League aspirant lost 1: 2 (1: 2) at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Koen Casteels conceded a goal for the first time after 673 minutes in the Bundesliga when Christoph Baumgartner (8th) gave Hoffenheim the lead.
After Hoffenheim-Schreck Wout Weghorst (23rd) equalized, Andrej Kramaric (41st) took the lead again before the break.
For the first time under coach Sebastian Hoeneß, TSG are undefeated four games in a row.
The Wolfsburg missed it to leave the place unbeaten in the tenth game in a row and to consolidate third place in the table.
Seconds before the end, Wolfsburg's Paulo Otavio received the red card because of an emergency brake.
Shortly before coach Oliver Glasner's team got off to a really bad start, sports director Marcel Schäfer praised the goal statistics.
"You can see how they enjoy defending," he said on Sky broadcaster.
After a few minutes and a very cautious beginning, there was little to be seen of it.
Baumgartner finished spectacularly with a volley after taking the chest.
The ball crashed under the bar and into the goal - a goal for Casteels at his ex-club.
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Wolfsburg did not appear startled by it, nor did it appear excited.
First, Hoffenheim continued the game.
The Hoeneß team, in which Kevin Vogt was short of another player due to adductor problems, combined nicely.
Especially Baumgartner, whose contract was extended during the week until the end of June 2025, drove the TSG game.
But there is this special liaison between Weghorst and the Hoffenheim team.
Recently unlucky against Leipzig at the cup when he slipped and missed a penalty.
He even went without a goal for four competitive games in a row, but he's back against TSG.
After a pass from Xaver Schlager's own half, the 28-year-old Dutchman ran with the ball towards the TSG goal and pushed past keeper Oliver Baumann into the goal.
Weghorst's seventh league goal against TSG, his 15th this season.
Despite the now stronger phase of Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim took the lead again before the break.
Kramaric didn’t miss a cross from close range - and Casteels was defeated again.
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Wolfsburg didn't want to go home like that.
The team - now with Admir Mehmedi - turned up after the break, increased the pressure and had significantly more possession.
A header from Weghorst brushed the crossbar (61st) with the best chance to equalize.
Hoffenheim let themselves be pushed further and further into their own half.
After a class attack initiated by Baumgartner, however, there was a great opportunity for the home side.
Kramaric shot a free kick from 16 meters well wide of the goal (67th).
Wolfsburg braced themselves to the end against the third defeat of this season after the pointless games against FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - in vain.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210306-99-716365 / 2
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Game details
Team TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Squad VfL Wolfsburg