Highlights
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90'
+ 5
HONOURS EVEN
Game over in Berlin, where a draw is probably a fair result. Kramaric opened the scoring on his 200th Bundesliga appearance before the exciting Lukebakio equalised. The second half chances were too few to mention.
Full-time
90'
+ 3
BOATENG SEARCHING
Mittelstädt's cross to the far post just evades the stretching Boateng. That might just be that.
90'
+ 1
Substitution
89'
SituationNo penalty
ReviewHandball?
DecisionNo penalty
87'
TSG THINK IT'S ALL OVER
Hoffenheim have the ball in the net but the away team's celebrations - led by Robert Skov, whose strike flew in - are short lived: there was an offside in the build-up.
85'
ALMOST SELKE
Ayyyy Davie Selke is *this* close to connecting with Jonjoe Kenny's brilliantly angled forward pass. The groans ring out among the home fans. That looked to have been Hertha's moment.
83'
BERLIN ROYALTY
The Prince is on in Berlin. Huge cheers greet Boateng as he replaces Hertha goalscorer, Lukebakio.
83'
Substitution
82'
TRIPLE CHANGE TSG
A Hoffenheim triple switch inside the final ten minutes. This game looks to be heading for a draw. Is there a hero out there who can bag their team all three points?
81'
Substitution
81'
Substitution
81'
Substitution
79'
Goal attempts
7off target
4on target
12off target
3on target
78'
CHANCES AT BOTH ENDS
At one end, Georginio Rutter rolls a tame shot at the target which Christensen saves with ease. At the other, Marco Richter tries, and fails, to beat Baumann from close range.
76'
BIG CHANCE TSG
Hoffenheim sub Angelo Stiller goes on a lovely run before passing in for Baumgartner. This is *the* chance TSG's No.14 has been waiting for. Alas, he drags his shot wide of the target
74'
HOFFENHEIM ATTACKING
Baumgartner and then Angelino look to create something in the final third but Hertha are looking solid in defence and manage to clear their lines easily enough.
72'
HERTHA CHANGES
Double swap for the Berliners with Selke and Richter on. This game needs a spark. Can the new arrivals conjure something here?
72'
Substitution
72'
Substitution
68'
KABAK SOLID
The game represents one more quality showing from Ozan Kabak in the Hoffenheim defence. The 22-year-old has won 78% of his challenges so far, and was also involved in his team's opening goal.
64'
HOFFENHEIM SWAP
Angelo Stiller is on to make his third Bundesliga appearance this season.
63'
Substitution
61'
LUKEBAKIO'S BERLIN FIRST
Harking back to Lukebakio's equaliser for Hertha as we watch Georginio Rutter enter the game, it was his third goal for the Berliners this season and his first here at the Olympiastadion.
61'
Substitution
59'
Goal attempts
6off target
2on target
10off target
3on target
56'
HERTHA ON FIRE
This could almost have been goal of the month, twice! Ejuke takes on all comers in the Hoffenheim area in a playground style. His shot is blocked, as is Sunjic's, but when the ball breaks to Lukebakio, the 24 year connects acrobatically and watches as his effort narrowly misses.
55'
BAUMGARTNER HAS A GO
Baumgartner gets into the Hertha area, twists one way, then the other and finally scuffs a shot that, despite it's lack of pace, has promise. The ball trickles not all that far wide.
53'
Fastest runner (km/h)
33.95
32.24
Chidera Ejuke Ozan Kabak
47'
HERTHA STRAIGHT AT IT
Ejuke shoots wide as the hosts go in search of the lead.
46'
HERTHA CHANGE
Hertha coach Schwarz has opted for a change at the break, with Agustin Paita entering the action.
46'
AWAY WE GO ... AGAIN
We're back underway in the second half ...
Kick-off!
45'
+ 2
Substitution
45'
+ 2
TOP ENTERTAINMENT
That was a highly entertaining first half. Both teams provided plenty of danger but the visitors edged the opening 45 minutes in terms of chances and possession. That said, we go in at the break level.
Half-time
45'
+ 1
ALMOST HOFFENHEIM
How has this not gone in? Kramaric thumps one at the target and the ball crashes off the underside of the crossbar. Grischa Prömel sends the loose ball back towards goal and Hertha somehow scramble it away.
43'
KABAK RISING
Angelino with a corner from the left that sees Kabak rising and connecting, but without any real power. Chance gone.
38'
HERTHA LEVEL
There wasn't much for the Hertha fans to cheer about after Hoffenheim's opener, but suddenly they were offered a chance. Angelino - involved in Kramaric's opener - plays the oddest of flighted passes across towards his own area. Ejuke pulls it down and immediately releases Lukebakio, who hits a delightful left-footed finish into the corner.
35'
Shots
1
2
Dodi Lukébakio Andrej Kramarić
32'
KRAMARIC'S BERLIN JOY
Of Kramaric's 91 Bundesliga goals, ten have come against Hertha, with eight of those scored in the capital. Hats off to that man.
27'
THAT MAN KRAMARIC
He's done it! On his 200th Bundesliga appearance, Andrej Kramaric has opened the scoring. Angelino peels one back for Uremovic whose shot is going absolutely nowhere, until Kramaric expertly guides it home.
25'
Goal attempts
1off target
1on target
3off target
1on target
21'
DECENT EFFORT, DABBUR
Solid work from Dabbur, who shows strength and good close control before whacking a low effort at the target. Christensen saves.
20'
ALMOST, TSG
Hoffenheim work a cheeky corner and the ball zips to the feet of Kramaric, who wellies one over the bar when well placed. The Croatian puts his hands on his head, and rightly so.
17'
LUKEBAKIO CHANCE
Ball into the Hertha box. It breaks for Lukebakio, who snatches at it, allowing Baumann to save with ease.
16'
xGoals
xGoals
0
0.17
0.02
0
Goals
12'
SET-PIECE WASTE
Big chance for Marvin Plattenhardt to do something from a free kick in a dangerous position on the right. The Hertha captain's delivery is just *ok* and Hoffenheim eventually clear. Meanwhile, Filip Uremovic has gone down and needs treatment.
8'
OLD LADY GO CLOSE
Oooh, solid chance for Hertha there. Serdar brilliantly feeds Kanga who is right in front of the target, has a little look up, and blasts away from goal. Groans among the home fans.
5'
HERTHA COUNTER
The visitors are dominating the ball in the early stages here but Hertha have just shown a glimpse of their counter-attacking game, the super quick Dodi Lukebakio sniffing for openings down the right.
2'
BAUMGARTNER THREAT
Christoph Baumgartner goes racing into the box and goes down under the challenge of two Hertha defenders. Probably a pen had the Hoffenheim man not strayed a fraction offside in the build up to that move.
1'
GAME ON !
After a brief issue with one of the goal nets, we're underway !
Kick-off!
IT'S ALMOST TIME !
So, we're almost ready for kick-off and the Olympiastadion is looking resplendent. It's Hoffenheim in sixth place - aiming to finish the day in third - against hosts Hertha back in 14th. We're all set.
KRAMARIC MILESTONE
All hail Hoffenheim's Andrej Kramaric, who is set to play his 200th Bundesliga match today. He's the sixth Croatian to hit the 200 mark and can boast 90 goals and 46 assists in that time.
HOFFENHEIM TEAM NEWS
The visitors show a couple of changes in their starting line-up compared to the team that began the scoreless draw against Freiburg on Matchday 7. Munas Dabbur makes his first start of the season, Stanley Nsoki his second. Georginio Rutter
and Kevin Akpoguma drop to the bench as a result.
HERTHA TEAM NEWS
© Imago
HOFFENHEIM SUBS
Philipp, Akpoguma, Stiller, Rudy, Damar, Bruun Larsen, Skov, Rutter, Asllani
HOFFENHEIM STARTING XI
Baumann (c) - Kabak, Vogt, Nsoki - Kaderabek, Prömel, Geiger, Angelino - Baumgartner - Kramaric, Dabbur
HERTHA SUBS
Ernst, Paita, Mittelstädt, Dardai, Darida, Boateng, Selke, Jovetic, Richter
HERTHA STARTING XI
Christensen - Kenny, Uremovic, Kempf, Plattenhardt (c) - Tousart, Sunjic, Serdar - Lukebakio, Kanga, Ejuke
"IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET A BIRTHDAY WIN!"
Speaking of presents, it's TSG head coach Andre Breitenreiter's 49th birthday today and he's also hoping his side can provide him with three points as a gift. "It would obviously be nice if the lads come away with three points and get the win for me on my birthday," said Breitenreiter.
"WE WANT TO GIVE THE FANS A PRESENT!"
Hertha's Oliver Christensen has been speaking in the build-up to today's game, saying he and his teammates are desperate to give their fans something to celebrate at the Olympiastadion. "Hoffenheim will be our fourth home game and we would love to give the fans a present," he said. "Their support, whether it’s home or away, has been phenomenal. We want to enjoy a win with them."
WELCOME ALONG!
A very warm welcome to our live coverage of Hertha vs. Hoffenheim, where the hosts are looking for a first victory on home soil this term and the visitors can move to within a point of top spot if they leave Berlin with the win. Kick-off is at 3.30pm CEST, with teams news dropping about an hour before that so set your alarms now.
STAY TUNED!
Hertha Berlin resume their search for a first home win of the season when high-flying Hoffenheim visit the German capital. The Old Lady are hovering precariously above the relegation zone, not helped by two draws and one defeat in three matches in front of their own fans in 2022/23. Hoffenheim have only won once on the road, but went in at the September international break in fourth place, a point above Bayern Munich...