TSG 1899 Hoffenheim maintained their unbeaten record in the Bundesliga this season after a 0-0 draw away to Eintracht Frankfurt in a spiky encounter at the Commerzbank Arena on Friday.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side have won six and drawn eight of their 14 league games this season and were fourth on the table, above Eintracht on goal difference and a point behind Hertha BSC ahead of the rest of the weekend’s matches.
Hoffenheim’s achievements under their 29-year-old coach Nagelsmann have been overshadowed by RB Leipzig, whose own unbeaten start to the campaign sees them on top of the table, three points clear of defending champions Bayern Munich.
Photo: AFP
Nagelsmann’s young side had beaten Cologne 4-0 in their previous outing, but could not break down a mean Frankfurt defense in a game of few chances.
Alexander Meier twice forced saves from Oliver Baumann in the first half, while Benjamin Huebner found the net with a header for the visitors on the stroke of halftime only to be denied by the offside flag.
However, the game will be best remembered for a shocking elbow by Frankfurt defender David Abraham on Sandro Wagner that went unpunished.
In contrast, US international Chandler was sent off eight minutes from time for putting a hand around the neck of Wagner when a brawl ensued after Bastian Oczipka and Mark Uth clashed.
LA LIGA
AP, BARCELONA, Spain
Malaga’s chance to set a club record for consecutive home victories was ruined by a 1-1 draw with Granada in La Liga action on Friday.
The draw came after five wins in a row at La Rosaleda. The Andalusian side’s league record improved to just one loss in their past nine matches.
Midfielder Ignacio Camacho put the hosts ahead in the first half when he was left alone in the center of the area to head Roberto Rosales’ cross off the post and into the net.
Malaga controlled the match until Artem Kravets scored a header from Alberto Bueno’s free-kick in the 81st minute.
Malaga went close to a last-gasp score, only for goalkeeper Guillermo Ochao to make three saves to ensure the stalemate.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two