Bundesliga Week 1: Hoffenheim Fights Bayern To A Draw
August 8th 2009 21:00
One of the feel-good stories of last season was the rise of Hoffenheim, a newly-promoted side, to the top of the Bundesliga. The small village saw its team win the first half of the season and then go on to finish seventh at the end of May. At the start of this season, the big question is would they do it again?
The first game of the season showed that Hoffenheim mean business. Against a revamped Bayern Munich side, Hoffenheim fought tooth and nails to prevent the German giants from walking away with a win.
Despite dominating the first twenty minutes of the match, it was Hoffenheim who conceded the first goal on Bayern's first truly dangerous attack. Ivica Olic, one of Van Gaal's newest acquisition, scored his first goal in the red shirt to put the visitors 1-0 up at the 24th minute. After a short period of demoralized play, Hoffenheim equalized the mark on a textbook attack which started from their defense and ended in the back of Michael Rensing's net four passes later.
The German giants missed a great opportunity after the break on a 2-on-1 counterattack that should've ended in the back of the net. Instead, Baumjohann's final touch on the ball was too heavy and left plenty of time for Hildebrand to recover from his exit.
The pace of the game quickened even more from the 70th minute on. Although Bayern were desperately looking for another game, their passing game was nowhere near the automatism of Hoffenheim's game which made it easier for the Hoffenheim players to zero in on the ball-carrier and put some pressure. For most of the game, it felt like Bayern were reacting to Hoffenheim instead of really taking the game to them. It's a great credit to Hoffenheim's coaching staff who knew exactly how to neutralize the visitors and the players followed the gameplan to the letter.
As for Bayern, it's only been one game but there's no question that the return of Ribery will make things easier for them.
Bayern Munich line-up: Michael Rensing; Philipp Lahm, Daniel Van Buyten, Holger Badstuber, Danijel Pranjic; Hamit Altintop, Mark Van Bommel (Anatoliy Tymoschuk, 80th), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Edson Braafheid, 84th); Alexander Baumjohann (Thomas Muller, 72nd), Mario Gomez, Ivica Olic.
The first game of the season showed that Hoffenheim mean business. Against a revamped Bayern Munich side, Hoffenheim fought tooth and nails to prevent the German giants from walking away with a win.
Despite dominating the first twenty minutes of the match, it was Hoffenheim who conceded the first goal on Bayern's first truly dangerous attack. Ivica Olic, one of Van Gaal's newest acquisition, scored his first goal in the red shirt to put the visitors 1-0 up at the 24th minute. After a short period of demoralized play, Hoffenheim equalized the mark on a textbook attack which started from their defense and ended in the back of Michael Rensing's net four passes later.
The German giants missed a great opportunity after the break on a 2-on-1 counterattack that should've ended in the back of the net. Instead, Baumjohann's final touch on the ball was too heavy and left plenty of time for Hildebrand to recover from his exit.
The pace of the game quickened even more from the 70th minute on. Although Bayern were desperately looking for another game, their passing game was nowhere near the automatism of Hoffenheim's game which made it easier for the Hoffenheim players to zero in on the ball-carrier and put some pressure. For most of the game, it felt like Bayern were reacting to Hoffenheim instead of really taking the game to them. It's a great credit to Hoffenheim's coaching staff who knew exactly how to neutralize the visitors and the players followed the gameplan to the letter.
As for Bayern, it's only been one game but there's no question that the return of Ribery will make things easier for them.
Bayern Munich line-up: Michael Rensing; Philipp Lahm, Daniel Van Buyten, Holger Badstuber, Danijel Pranjic; Hamit Altintop, Mark Van Bommel (Anatoliy Tymoschuk, 80th), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Edson Braafheid, 84th); Alexander Baumjohann (Thomas Muller, 72nd), Mario Gomez, Ivica Olic.
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