Hoffenheim have beaten Fortuna Dusseldorf 3-0 to give themselves a chance of escaping the drop in the Bundesliga this season.
The hosts started well and took an early lead through Roberto Firmino and although Dusseldorf controlled possession for much of the half they struggled to test Heurelho Gomes.
In the second half, Hoffenheim played an effective counter-attacking game, with a Kevin Volland strike sealing the points in injury time following Andreas Lambertz's own goal.
Read how the action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text commentary below.
Hello all and welcome to our live coverage from the Bundesliga as Hoffenheim host Dusseldorf.
It's 17th against 15th tonight. Hoffenheim - 17th - could move just a point behind Augsburg and will surely see this as one of their remaining must-wins. Dusseldorf will look to distance themselves from the scrap below them.
First things first - the team news...
HOFFENHEIM XI: Gomes; Beck, Abraham, Vestergaard, Johnson; Weis, Polanski, Volland, Salihovic, Firmino; Schipplock
DUSSELDORF XI: Giefer; Balogun, Malezas, Latka, Bergh; Fink, Tesche, Kruse, Lambertz, Bellinghausen; Bolly
There are a couple of changes for the hosts. Sejad Salihovic and Eugen Polanski, with Patrick Ochs and Joselu missing out.
Markus Gisdol, the new coach of Hoffenheim is still confident of survival, but you have to think they need to win this one today. Dusseldorf are probably already safe but they'll want to make sure and this could be a good game for them to win.
Read what Gisdol said with our report. He hinted at a change of system, telling Bundesliga.com: "It all depends on how quickly we can put our ideas into practice and how quickly I can get my ideas across to my players."
Even though his side have less to play for, Norbert Meier still thinks it's important for his side tonight. He said: "While it is not Hoffenheim's last chance, a loss would hurt them a lot. We have the opportunity to beat a direct competitor."
As the players huddle and prepare for kickoff, I'm going to put the cat among the pigeons and go for a home win. It'll be edgy and not pretty, but I'll say 2-1.
Right on cue, we're underway and Hoffenheim kick off, immediately winning a free kick.
As expected it's a nervous start. Neither side are able to keep the ball at the moment, although the hosts are looking slightly stronger early on.
Schipplock makes a great run into the box but Salihovic's through ball is cut out by Latka, and the striker was offside when the ball came back in. They're still looking the better side, Hoffenheim.
Axel Bellinghausen makes a strong run down the left, but none of his Dusseldorf teammates can get on the end of his cutback. A shame, really, as it was a good run. Mathis Bolly breaks into the box but it looks like he has pulled a hamstring as he went to shoot. A worry for the visitors, that.
DUSSELDORF SUB: He can't continue and is replaced by Dani Schahin. That will be a big boost for the hosts, as Robbie Kruse is brought down on the left by Weis. Good spot for a left-footed delivery.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 1-0 Dusseldorf (Firmino)
Firmino broke from the free kick and sprayed it wide to Schipplock. He almost got tackled but managed to get it back to Firmino in acres in the box and he smashed it emphatically off the underside of the bar and in. A great finish.
Now Hoffenheim are given a free kick to the right of the box. Salihovic finds Weis with a cut to the edge of the box. His first shot is blocked but then he slashes his second well wide. A well worked free kick, but a disappointing finish for the hosts.
BOOKING: The big Czech Latka is the first player booked for a foul up near the half-way line. Unnecessary really but a possibly harsh booking.
The fans roar into life as Volland breaks, but he's too slow and gets tackled. At the other end Kruse looks to get free but Johnson does really well to get in front of the ball and draw the foul. Both teams seem to be playing on the break.
Since the goal Dusseldorf have been slightly the better side, but they'll need to work a lot harder to break down what has been a solid Hoffenheim defensive line. A cross comes in from the right by Kruse and Gomes does well to palm away from the head of Lambertz.
CHANCE! First Volland gets to the byline but his good cutback is cleared. Then he beats the offside trap, cuts onto his left and tries to bend the ball into the bottom corner, but forgets to bend it. It goes wide and he probably should have worked Giefer.
SAVE! Lambertz in a very similar position to Volland at the other end goes for power, but puts it straight down the throat of Gomes, who pushes it away from danger.
Dusseldorf come forward with Bellinghausen down the left, but his cross is far too deep - even for a scrambling Gomes dive. Both sides are misplacing passes all of a sudden. The next goal could well come from a mistake, as Bellinghausen is sent flying by Weis.
He's certainly not a believer in handling the ball, Gomes. He again chooses to punch from the free kick and this time gets good contact to clear it from the box. He could have held it, though, which would have been even safer. Dusseldorf win a corner as they continue to up the pressure.
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Kruse, who has been the visitors' best player so far, tries to dink a ball in towards Schahin. It's cleared then a long range shot is deflected for another corner, which Gomes comes for.... and gets a slight touch for a throw. Horrible goalkeeping at the moment from the Spurs man.
Still Hoffenheim cannot get any real attacks going. Bellinghausen breaks again for the visitors, but this time it's dealt with by Abraham and the ball goes for a throw.
He's off for treatment now, Abraham, with what looked like a bit of a twist on the ankle. Meanwhile, Dusseldorf have another free kick. Abraham has been subbed off.
BOOKING: It was Matthieu Delpierre who came on for Abraham by the way, as Tesche goes into the book, slightly harshly, for a slide tackle from behind - he got the ball, so just a free kick would have done, it wasn't dangerous.
Salihovic puts a free kick from about 35 yards over the bar and from it Dusseldorf come again, but another attack breaks down when Lambertz's pass goes out of play for a goal kick.
The crosses are flying into the home box from all angles, but they're still managing to deal with them. Except Gomes, that is, as he plays about on the edge of his box and just manages to jump on the ball in time before Kruse closed in.
Hoffenheim have finally started to get into this in the last few minutes. Neat work between Firmino and Schipplock almost allows the former space to cross but this time it's the visitors who defend well. Not a great deal of chances so far, in truth.
Another corner goes to waste for the hosts, before Beck is beaten byt Bellinghausen to the ball from a Kruse cross but heads over. At the other end Schipplock tries to find the bottom corner but Giefer holds on to it.
BOOKING: Three minutes of stoppage time have been indicated, as Salihovic is booked for hauling down Bellinghausen who had beaten him for pace.
Schahin, who has struggled since replacing Bolly, fouls Vestergaard to give away a free kick in the hosts' penalty box. An offside call is probably the last action at the other end.
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HALF-TIME: Hoffenheim 1-0 Dusseldorf
It's not been a display of attacking football by any stretch of the imagination, but it has certainly been an interesting contest. Hoffenheim started well and deservedly took the lead, but since then Dusseldorf have perhaps been the better side - it's not unfair on them though by any means.
Dusseldorf might complain that there was a foul in the buildup to the goal - Firmino didn't jump for a header which sent Malezas I believe flying over the top of him. However after that it was a good move finished emphatically by the player who started it.
Both managers have been forced to use their bench for injuries, so I wouldn't have thought there'd be any subs at half time. Then again, I'm not the coach, so there just as easily might be.
The players are making their way back to the pitch, so we're not far away from the second half. There are probably more goals in this, perhaps one or two anyway.
Here we go, Dusseldorf get us back underway.
Early free kick won by Hoffenheim in a good position, but it's something of a waste when Salihovic swings it in. A very tentative start to the half from both teams so far.
SAVE! Giefer is properly tested for the first time in the game, but really Schipplock's effort on the half-volley was close to him. It nearly beat him, though.
Van den Bergh slips near his own box, but gets up to recover well with a strong bit of defending on Volland. At the other end Bellinghausen puts in a low cross - it's close to Gomes but he can't hang on to it as Lambertz goes in to meet it. He's hurt, is the Brazilian, and is receiving treatment in the goal. I think he has to come off.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: Indeed he cannot continue and Gomes will make way for Koen Casteels. It might be a blessing, as Gomes looked at his flappy best tonight.
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Casteels's first task is to rise high in the penalty area and claim a deep free kick. Gomes would have punched, of that I'm certain.
Beck works space on the right flank but Volland is beaten to the header by the ever-solid Latka. From the corner, Salihovic swings it too close to Giefer and the danger is gone.
Neither side has been on top for any length of time in the second half so far. The players are clearly nervous and don't seem to want to commit too many forward for fear of being hit on the break. As such, the defences are on top.
Of course, the emphasis is on Dusseldorf to come at their hosts. Defeat would give the teams below them - Hoffenheim included - a sniff of survival, while even a point would be important for the visitors. They have a free kick not too far outside the box but it's blazed over by Tesche.
Dusseldorf are slowly starting to impose themselves now in the hope of an equaliser, but Hoffenheim now have the chance on the break. They're looking to spring forward whenever they can.
DUSSELDORF SUB: Tesche makes way for Ken Ilso.
A lovely piece of skill in midfield by Firmino to skin the advancing tackler, but the move turns selfish as he goes for goal himself. It was easy for Giefer.
CHANCE! Schahin is an inch away from making it 1-1! Think Gazza at Euro 96 as Kruse puts in a low cross and the striker's foot just fails to make contact with the ball. Agonising for the visitors.
At the other end Firmino again goes for goal from outside the box with teammates better placed, but his effort is once more easy for Giefer. Flares have gone off in what looks like the away section and there's smoke all over the place.
In what now looks like a thick fog, Dusseldorf continue to press for the equaliser. Kruse finds Van den Berg, who links up with Bellinghousen but Delpierre is in well to tackle.
Now Hoffenheim are playing as you might expect from a side desperate for the points. They're sitting back and lumping the ball whwnever they get control of it. They need to settle down and keep it on the floor.
SAVE! As I say that, Weis is found by a fantastic pass from the right wing, but he goes for placement from outside the box and Giefer easily palms it wide.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 2-0 Dusseldorf (Lambertz og)
From the corner Volland looks to attack it at the near post. He doesn't get a touch but Lambertz does, which directs it past his own keeper. Ilso is booked moments after the restart.
SAVE! They're still looking to hit on the break are the hosts, and another goal would put the result beyond doubt. Some superb passing allows Firmino to set Volland free, but Giefer saves well at his near post.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: Sebastian Rudy, a defensive midfielder, comes in for Schipplock, who has worked very hard tonight.
BOOKING: Weis booked this time for a late slide on Bellinghausen. Lots of tackles are flying in and not many are being well timed. It looks like it will be ending rather scrappily.
The visitors really haven't created much all game and the gameplan from Gisdol has worked perfectly, particularly in this half. A second goal from a corner after a quick break has surely wrapped up the points.
While three points for Dusseldorf would have surely erased fears of relegation, there's no doubt that they are the team Hoffenheim and Augsburg will be looking to catch.
There will be five minutes added on, probably mostly for the Gomes injury. Not enough for Dusseldorf to get two goals, however. Probably not even one.
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Firmino goes for a cheeky chip from the corner of the box, but it drifts over the bar. He's played with a huge amount of confidence tonight. A late free kick is given to Dusseldorf, but it;s put straight at the keeper.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 3-0 Dusseldorf (Volland)
As Dusseldorf push forward, Volland finds space down the middle. He advances on Giefer, takes it round him neatly and puts it into the net for a comprehensive victory.
FULL-TIME: Hoffenheim 3-0 Dusseldorf
In the end it was a somewhat comfortable win for Hoffenheim, who have given themselves a real chance of getting out of this with a win over one of the teams they are chasing.
That's all from me tonight. Thanks for joining me for the action and be sure to stick around on site tonight and over the weekend for more sport! Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
