Hoffenheim suffered a 2-3 defeat to Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday. South Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu scored a brace for the Turkish side, sealing the loss for TSG in front of their home crowd at the PreZero Arena. This loss extends a run of four defeats in their last five competitive matches, with a record of one win and four losses in that period.
The match was closely contested for long periods. Amir Murillo put Besiktas ahead in the 60th minute before Fisnik Asllani equalised for Hoffenheim eight minutes later. Oh Hyeon-gyu then turned the game on its head within seven minutes. He headed home from a Junior Olaitan cross in the 72nd minute before sealing the 3-1 result in the 79th after being set up by Ilhan Fakili. Koki Machida pulled one back for Hoffenheim in the 87th minute, but a full comeback was not to be.
The defeat adds pressure on Hoffenheim during a difficult spell. In the Bundesliga, Pellegrino Matarazzo's side sit 17th with just three points from five matches, leaving them ten points behind leaders SC Freiburg. Their recent form shows four defeats in the last five competitive games, including a 2-3 loss to Hamburger SV last weekend. Their seasonal tally stands at nine goals scored and 13 conceded.
Focus on Gladbach
Attention must now immediately turn back to the league. A key away fixture against bottom-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach awaits on Saturday 18 October. The match is vital for both teams in the battle against relegation. The last meeting in May ended in a heavy 4-0 defeat for Hoffenheim.
The team must quickly analyse the mistakes from recent games. Particularly the defensive fragility, which has led to 13 goals conceded this season, needs addressing. With only one win and nine goals scored, more efficiency is required up front. The current top scorer is A. Daghim with two goals in five appearances. The full schedule of upcoming challenges is available on the fixtures page.
Matarazzo will need to reshuffle his team for the Gladbach clash. "We have to stick together now and leave the negative results behind us," the manager said after the match. The Europa League loss was a bitter blow, but the league offers an immediate chance for redemption. The next 90 minutes in Mönchengladbach will show if TSG has learned from its recent setbacks.
This story first appeared at n-tv.de
