Hoffenheim vs. Bayern Munich: Winners and Losers from Bundesliga Game
Substitute Robert Lewandowski scored a late winner to give Bayern Munich a 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim on Saturday in the Bundesliga.
The hosts took the lead after just nine seconds—tying a Bundesliga record—through Kevin Volland, but Bayern drew level with Thomas Muller's strike just before halftime. An eventful second half saw Hoffenheim miss a penalty moments after Bayern went down to 10 men for Jerome Boateng's second booking in as many minutes.
A draw seemed likely at that point, but the visitors netted the winner through Lewandowski in the 90th minute to maintain their 100 percent league record through two games.
Here, B/R selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Robert Lewandowski (And Thomas Muller)
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Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola opted to bench Robert Lewandowski on Saturday even though the Polish striker scored a goal last weekend against Hamburg in the season opener. The 27-year-old responded with the winning strike against Hoffenheim, capping a strong 23-minute performance in a substitute's role.
After entering the game in the 67th minute, Lewandowski's first touch resulted in a dangerous shot, which Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann saved. In the 88th minute, as Bayern chased the win, he forced another good save following a flowing team move.
In both instances, and again when he scored his goal, the Pole used typically excellent awareness and movement to his advantage. On the scoring sequence, he peeled away from his marker at precisely the right time to latch onto Douglas Costa's cross.
Thomas Muller, meanwhile, netted his third goal of the young season with an awkward-looking strike near the end of the half. But while the finish wasn't necessarily pretty, the German's movement off the ball was top-class, as usual.
In addition to the goal, Muller hit the woodwork twice and forced Baumann into a good save with a first-half header. As ever, his importance to Bayern's attack can hardly be understated.
Winner: Douglas Costa
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Douglas Costa made a menace of himself for Bayern in wide positions throughout the match, and he set up both goals with powerful, pacy runs down the flanks.
For Bayern's equalizer, Costa tore into the box on the left and stung Oliver Baumann's hands with a low shot. The rebound bounced to Thomas Muller, who bundled in with his thigh. For the winner, Costa steamed down the right before firing a low cross into the middle. Mario Gotze allowed the ball to roll past him to Robert Lewandowski, who finished tidily.
Costa's ability to create danger on either flank bodes very well for Bayern, who signed the Brazilian from Shakhtar Donetsk in July for €30 million, per ESPN FC. The addition gave Bayern depth on the wings, where Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery have starred for years. But while Ribery has been recovering from a long-term ankle injury, Costa has been making himself an indispensable part of the squad.
Last week against Hamburg, he was the man of the match, according to WhoScored.com. After another strong showing against Hoffenheim, it will be tough for Pep Guardiola to remove him from the lineup.
When Guardiola has all his options available, he will have some tough choices on his hands. But on current form, how can he take Costa out of the starting XI?
"Douglas Costa is unbelievable," tweeted SB Nation's Kevin McCauley. "Franck Ribery’s out a job."
Loser: Jerome Boateng
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Bayern won the game despite playing with 10 men for the final 17-plus minutes. Jerome Boateng drew a red card in the 73rd minute for a handball as he blocked a Hoffenheim free kick.
That came just two minutes after he had earned a first booking for a professional foul—which led to the set piece that ended his match.
Robert Lewandowski's late winner meant the dismissal did not negatively affect Bayern on the day, but Boateng should have known better. The first yellow card was somewhat understandable, since Boateng had to pull back Kevin Volland in order to stop a shooting chance. But his handball was obvious and appeared intentional, and the referee had no choice but to send him off.
That bit of indiscretion meant Boateng's team had to play with a numerical disadvantage as they chased a winner. It also led to a penalty that could have given Hoffenheim the victory. Bayern won in the end regardless, but Boateng has to go down as a loser for his dismissal.
Loser: Eugen Polanski
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In addition drawing a red card for the handball, Boateng also gave Hoffenheim a penalty for the infraction. Eugen Polanski stepped up to take the crucial spot-kick but missed, sending his low shot off the base of the upright.
The ball bounced off Manuel Neuer and into the box, where David Alaba cleared. Hoffenheim had thus missed their chance.
Polanski just had to score there, even against a world-class goalkeeper like Neuer. Bayern were there for the taking, but Polanski's miss proved pivotal.
Winner and Loser: David Alaba
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David Alaba played the role of hero for clearing Bayern's box following the rebound on Eugen Polanski's missed penalty, but he also made a negative contribution in the earliest stages of the game.
From the opening kickoff, Bayern worked the ball deep in their own territory to Alaba, who misplaced a careless pass across the face of goal. Kevin Volland nipped in and slotted past Manuel Neuer with his first touch to give Hoffenheim a shocking 1-0 lead after just nine seconds.
"We can only learn from that," manager Pep Guardiola said, as relayed by Bayern's Twitter account "It wasn't the best start, but we had 93 minutes to make it right."
The goal was the joint-fastest scored in Bundesliga history, and it almost cost Bayern on Saturday. The champions eventually turned the game around, but Alaba's carelessness put his side in a bind that took 90 minutes to overcome.
Loser: Hoffenheim
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This was Hoffenheim's chance. Never before had the club from the tiny town in Germany's Baden-Wurttemberg region beaten Bayern in the Bundesliga, and Saturday represented a glorious opportunity to do so.
David Alaba's misplaced pass gifted the hosts a quick head start, and Jerome Boateng's handball gave them both a numerical advantage and a chance to take a late lead from the penalty spot. And yet Markus Gisdol's side managed to lose. Again.
That makes three defeats from three games in the new season, including an embarrassing loss to second-tier 1860 Munich in the German Cup. In fairness, Hoffenheim were always going to face a tough task this season following a summer of damaging departures, most notably that of Roberto Firmino to Liverpool.
In addition, the start of the season provided a stern test immediately with games against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.
But Hoffenheim must feel like they should have taken something from Saturday's game. And though there are extenuating circumstances behind the slow start, it's now time for Gisdol's team to start picking up points.
Up next is a trip to newcomers Darmstadt, who have opened the season with back-to-back draws. Hoffenheim will be targeting the full three points against the newly promoted side next weekend, but another loss would really start sounding the warning bells.
