Robert Skov and Jürgen Locadia on target as in-form Hoffenheim thrash Paderborn
Robert Skov, Pavel Kaderabek and Jürgen Locadia scored first-half goals as Hoffenheim steamrollered rock-bottom Paderborn to extend their winning run in the Bundesliga to four matches.
Hoffenheim 3-0 Paderborn
Goals: 1-0 Skov (2'), 2-0 Kaderabek (15'), 3-0 Locadia (26')
Hoffenheim started with purpose, penetration and the confidence of a side that had won their last three Bundesliga matches. Skov opened the floodgates with a fierce 25-yard free-kick inside two minutes, before Kaderabek tucked away Florian Grillitsch’s cute lay-off to double the hosts’ lead. Paderborn's Cauly tested Oliver Baumann, but Hoffenheim looked capable of scoring whenever they came forward and duly added a third in the 26th minute when Locadia collected from Kaderabek, turned his marker and curled home with aplomb. Ihlas Bebou threatened further goals in a decidedly one-sided first half.
Paderborn weren't quite as obliging in the second half, but they didn't manage to make in-roads in the final third either, despite the introduction of joint-top scorer Streli Mamba. Hoffenheim by contrast pushed hard for a fourth goal in the early exchanges as Kaderabek powered a free header over from another Skov set-piece. Sargis Adamyan thought he'd added to his match-winning brace against Bayern Munich within moments of his introduction, but Leopold Zingerle somehow got a hand to the Armenian's close-range strike to prevent further misery. Hoffenheim climb into the top half, whilst promoted Paderborn stay rooted to the foot of the standings with four points to show from a possible 30.
Match stats
- Hoffenheim scored three goals from their first three efforts on target.
- Skov opened his Bundesliga account with his 11th attempt on goal in nine top-flight appearances.
- Locadia added to his maiden Bundesliga strike last weekend in the win over Werder Bremen.
- Hoffenheim are the only team in the Bundesliga to have won their last four league games, scoring at least two goals in each of them.
- Maximilian Beier, 17, was named in the Hoffenheim squad for the first time since joining the club from the Energie Cottbus youth team in 2018.
- Victors over Fortuna Düsseldorf on Matchday 9, Paderborn have never won back-to-back Bundesliga games.
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Line-ups
Hoffenheim: Baumann – Akpoguma, Vogt (c), Hübner - Kaderabek, Rudy, Grillitsch, Skov – Bebou (Baumgartner 81'), Locadia (Adamyan 69'), Rupp (Geiger 76')
Unused subs: Pentke, Brenet, Bicakcic, Kramaric, Beier, Posch
Out: Belfodil (knee), Nordtveit (ribs), Ochs (ankle), Stafylidis (knock), Zuber (foot)
Coach: Alfred Schreuder
Paderborn: Zingerle – Dräger (Jans 46'), Kilian, Schonlau (c), Collins – Cauly (Mamba 46'), Vasiliadis, Sabiri – Holtmann, Zolinski (Michel 70'), Antwi-Adjej
Unused subs: Huth, Kapic, Shelton, Bilogrevic, Pröger, Strohdiek
Out: Gjasula (suspended), Hünemeier (ankle), Ritter (match fitness)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart
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