Highlights
F. Willenborg
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0:17
Watch: Xabi Alonso calms title talk
Full-time: Hoffenheim 2-3 Leverkusen
© IMAGO/Eibner
Full-time
90'
+ 4
Free-scoring Werkself
Leverkusen have maintained their record of scoring at least two goals in all 15 of their competitive fixtures in 2023/24. Their 30 Bundesliga goals is a new club record after 10 matchdays.
90'
+ 1
Added time
We'll have five extra minutes!
90'
+ 1
Substitution
90'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
88'
Substitution
88'
Substitution
87'
Substitution
86'
Time ticking
Hoffenheim on the ball at the moment but no way through as yet. Leverkusen happy to sit and counter.
81'
Handball
Tah is penalised for handling while challenging for a bouncing ball and has his name taken.
80'
Substitution
79'
Attacking switch
No messing from Matarazzo as he sends on offensive reinforcements with Bebou and the returning Kramarić.
78'
Substitution
78'
Substitution
76'
Brilliant Boniface
He was shooting and scoring for fun at the start of the season, but the Nigerian is now also emerging as a top provider. He's got two assists today to go onto five for the campaign - only Leipzig's Xavi has more across the division (six).
72'
A game of 'out of nowhere'
There was no sign earlier of Hoffenheim coming back into this, but nor was there any indication that Leverkusen were about to strike back as well. Never assume anything in football.
72'
Time wasting
Hrádecký takes too much time over a goal-kick and is cautioned.
Leverkusen lead again!
© AFP via Getty Images
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
68'
Shot count
Goal attempts
3off target
7on target
3off target
3on target
66'
All Hoffenheim
Leverkusen have just not got going this half and as it stands are at risk of losing after leading by two goals for the first time since a 5-2 defeat in Frankfurt in December 2021.
65'
Weghorst!
Huge opportunity to completely turn things around. Weghorst unmarked in the middle and leaping to meet a cross from the left, but somehow he only heads it onto the roof of the net. The goal was at his mercy there.
63'
Unusual
Only three of the eight goals Leverkusen had conceded before today had come from open play. That's now five from 10.
62'
The difference 15 minutes makes
xGoals
The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).
xGoals
2
1.31
0.9
2
Goals
58'
Weghorst levels!
What a couple of minutes for Hoffenheim and they're level. Beier goes for a curling effort from some 25 yards out. Hrádecký gets fingers to it to tip it onto the post, but Weghorst is there to mop up. All square in Sinsheim!
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
Hoffenheim back in it!
© AFP via Getty Images
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
54'
Comes to nothing
A rare stray Leverkusen pass allows Hoffenheim to break out. Ball up to Skov, who cuts inside with Weghorst marked on the far side, and his shot is weak.
50'
Beier!
Good persistence from Beier as he sees an effort blocked at the near post but then battles for the second ball up against two defenders before poking wide of the far stick. Encouraging from Hoffenheim this half.
47'
Close for TSG
Weghorst onto a through ball into the box, sliding to turn it across goal, but it's just ahead of the lurking Beier.
46'
Back under way
Leverkusen resume the action having made a change at the back with Stanišić on for Kossounou.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 3
Substitution
45'
+ 3
Half-time
Half-time: Hoffenheim 0-2 Leverkusen
© IMAGO/Thomas Frey
Grimaldo!
© IMAGO/Thomas Frey
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
43'
Bayer good value for the lead
xGoals
The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).
xGoals
0
0.0
0.8
1
Goals
39'
Some serious speed down that flank
Fastest runner (km/h)
35.42
35.08
Marius Bülter Jeremie Frimpong
Centurion Palacios
© IMAGO/Langer
36'
Frimpong!
And just like that, Leverkusen go up the other end with some electric Frimpong pace. Teammates are busting a gut to keep up and provide support, so the Dutchman goes it alone darting into the box but can only find the side netting.
35'
Promising
Hoffenheim look confident when on the ball, with patient play before springing into attack. This time a Bülter cross evades Beier.
33'
Tiki taka
One-touch stuff from Alonso's men as they work their way up the left again. Grimaldo goes for the cutback but Vogt reads it and puts it behind. Corner comes to nothing, though.
30'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
30'
Skov!
Hammer effort from the Dane but it's well over from outside the area.
29'
Impact of an early goal
Impact of an early goal
8'
50.7 %
9'
72.5 %
28'
Combining again
Once more it's Wirtz and Boniface with a blind understanding to work their way into the box. The striker tries to dink the ball into the middle, where Baumann gets a hand and eventually gathers the bouncing ball.
25'
Hofmann!
Similar to the opening goal, Leverkusen down the left with Grimaldo this time. Cutback is left by Boniface and Hofmann runs onto it, but the TSG youth product can't hit the target on his left foot.
Florian flourishing
© IMAGO/Jan Huebner
19'
Short pause
Boniface is down after a challenge. He needs some quick treatment before we can continue.
18'
Almost for Weghorst
The Dutchman points where he wants the pass and sets off. Prömel sends it in behind but it's just a yard or two ahead of Weghorst.
12'
Bülter!
What an effort from some 30 yards, swerving this way and that and almost leaving Hrádecký stranded. He's at full stretch switching to his right to parry away.
10'
Boniface!
The Nigerian striker loves a shot and has a crack from 20 yards this time. A low effort that Baumann manages to hold down to his right.
9'
Devastating again from Wirtz and Leverkusen!
What a goal from the league leaders. Palacios on his 100th Werkself appearances feeds Wirtz wide on the left. He beats a man and slips in Boniface, who then turns his own marker and drives inside before simply laying the ball back into the path of Wirtz, who'd continued his run and taps beyond Baumann.
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
5'
Eyeing each other up
Hoffenheim are holding their shape in the opening stages, allowing Leverkusen to move it around far from goal. Every now and then Weghorst calls for a push and three blue shirts hound the Bayer backline.
1'
Underway!
Hoffenheim get things going but it's Leverkusen on the attack first as Boniface peels off to the right and flashes a cross into the box, just ahead of the arriving Wirtz.
Kick-off!
Teams in the tunnel
Kick-off is almost upon us in Sinsheim. Will Leverkusen extend their advantage at the top or will Hoffenheim inflicted a first defeat of the season?
TSG's need for change
Hoffenheim come into this weekend in an impressive sixth place, but it's their away form that has got them there. Five wins from five on the road is a huge achievement, but they have won only one of four here in Sinsheim, losing the other three. That form will likely need to change if Matarazzo's men are to be in the push for Europe come May.
"Next step in the marathon"
That was what Alonso spoke about at his press conference yesterday as Leverkusen look to continue their near-perfect start to this season and last the course to make history with a first-ever Bundesliga title come the end of the race. The Spaniard's team have been pretty much flawless all season, with 13 wins from 14 competitive fixtures. The one blot on the copy book was the 2-2 draw in Munich.
Hoffenheim team news
As for Pellegrino Matarazzo, he opts for three changes to the team beaten 1-0 in Dortmund in the cup on Wednesday. They see Ozan Kabak, Finn Becker and Robert Skov come on for John Brooks, Ihlas Bebou and Mergim Berisha, who all drop to the bench.
Leverkusen team news
Xabi Alonso makes eight changes from the team that started the DFB Cup win over Sandhausen during the week, where they won 5-2 after a late push, but it's the same XI that began last weekend's 2-1 win at home to Freiburg.
0:10
Watch: Inside the Leverkusen dressing room
Hoffenheim XI
Baumann (c) - Akpoguma, Kabak, Vogt - Skov, Prömel, Stach, Becker, Bülter - Weghorst, Beier
Hoffenheim subs
Philipp, Berisha, Bebou, Samassekou, Brooks, Kramarić, Conté, Tohumcu, Szalai
Leverkusen XI
Hrádecký (c) - Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba - Frimpong, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo - Hofmann, Wirtz - Boniface
Leverkusen subs
Kovář, Stanišić, Hincapie, Andrich, Amiri, Tella, Adli, Hložek, Puerta
0:10
Watch: Welcome to the PreZero Arena
Set your alarms
A little note on housekeeping for today's game. We get underway in Hoffenheim at 3.30pm CET, with team news dropping an hour before kick-off. Set your alarms now and turn on alerts in the app to make sure you get that team news as soon as it lands.
4:33
Watch: Bayer Leverkusen - Full Steam Ahead
What's at stake today?
For the league-leading visitors a victory would take them five points clear of Bayern Munich before the champions' Klassiker meeting with Borussia Dortmund later today. Meanwhile, a home win could see Hoffenheim pull level on points with Dortmund (fourth) and VfB Stuttgart (third).
Alonso's view on Hoffenheim
© Getty Images
Matarazzo's view on Leverkusen
© IMAGO/foto2press
Probable line-ups
© Getty Images
3:13
Watch: Vote for October’s Goal of the Month!
Home discomforts
As well as losing three of four home games so far this Bundesliga season, Hoffenheim have suffered more defeats on their own patch to Leverkusen than any Bundesliga team they've hosted (nine from 15).
2:03
Watch: Hoffenheim 1-3 Leverkusen - previous meeting
2:03
Watch: Stuttgart 2-3 Hoffenheim - highlights
2:03
Watch: Leverkusen 2-1 Freiburg - highlights
Hello and welcome!
Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 10 fixture between Hoffenheim and Leverkusen.