Hoffenheim battle back from two goals down to claim draw at Augsburg in Bundesliga

[p][b]The hosts got off to a rapid start with a quickfire double inside the opening quarter of an hour. On 11 minutes, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/claude-maurice-alexis/UTdKF398/"]Alexis Claude-Maurice[/a] set off on a slaloming run from halfway, and after exchanging passes with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fellhauer-robin/UN7i7Cf3/"]Robin Fellhauer[/a], he struck a low, hard shot past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baumann-oliver/MZ6BATVO/"]Oliver Baumann[/a]. [/b][/p][p][b]Three minutes later, it was a much more route one effort that undid the visitors for a second time, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gouweleeuw-jeffrey/ptzdhA4a/"]Jeffrey Gouweleeuw[/a]’s long ball over the top found [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gregoritsch-michael/fNPBHb0p/"]Michael Gregoritsch[/a], who out-muscled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kabak-ozan/nBbGuPN8/"]Ozan Kabak[/a] and lashed his strike home.[/b][/p][p]Christian Ilzer’s Champions League chasers were stunned and only a last-ditch [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hajdari-albian/p6M74psE/"]Albian Hajdari[/a] challenge denied  [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kade-anton/0U3az6U6/"]Anton Kade[/a] before the latter of those two stung the palms of Baumann.[/p][p][b]Die Kraichgauer had really created nothing of note through 35 minutes, but they halved the deficit, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/coufal-vladimir/n92l9Tl1/"]Vladimír Coufal[/a]’s corner was met by a stooping header from his countryman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hranac-robin/z3DBHDy0/"]Robin Hranáč[/a] with 10 minutes until the break.[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="893d3b4c-a42c-4804-a4e4-ab8aa80003c5" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="2a321ccc-fadb-493a-8497-d2427b26a024" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]But they weren’t finished yet, and pulled themselves level three minutes before HT. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/asllani-fisnik/IsoKFb9C/"]Fisnik Asllani[/a] picked out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toure-bazoumana/jqfhZBWt/"]Bazoumana Touré[/a] with a clever backheel in tight space, and the 20-year-old’s square ball wrong-footed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dahmen-finn/bi35uzgT/"]Finn Dahmen[/a] in the home goal and nestled in the corner via the inside of the post. [/b][/p][p]Despite drawing level in fortuitous circumstances, the visitors were almost behind again in stoppage time of what was a breathless first half. Firstly, it was another critical Hajdari intervention as he cleared Gouweleeuw’s header off the line, before Gregoritsch struck the bar with a half-volley from 12 yards.[/p][p]In stark contrast to the first half, it took [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hoffenheim/hQAtP9Sl/"]Hoffenheim[/a] just 30 seconds to have their first big chance after the restart, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lemperle-tim/OYG8XB8m/"]Tim Lemperle[/a] glanced a header on to the roof of the net after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/promel-grischa/GOTDkA9I/"]Grischa Prömel[/a]’s clever flick-on.[/p][p]Lemperle then threatened again moments later, with a low shot saved after an intricate link-up with Asllani and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kramaric-andrej/6V0rWuu1/"]Andrej Kramarić[/a] in the box.[/p][p]It took until the 70-minute mark for the hosts to threaten in the second half, and it was Claude-Maurice again, as, this time, his low, hard effort took a wicked deflection and almost caught out Baumann, but he reacted well and saved with his legs.[/p][p]Just when it looked as though the game would peter out, the hosts were gifted a late chance at a winner when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bernardo/MwxzFrgA/"]Bernardo[/a] caught Kade in the box. Up stepped Claude-Maurice but he sent his effort over the bar.[/p][image alt="Hoffenheim remain in 5th" id="6dba621d-5c1f-4da2-a598-ee6242732c0d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="f37042dc-1123-42bc-b873-12bed4f631ab" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]There was still time for another goal-line clearance from a Hoffenheim player as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/avdullahu-leon/KxLbw5jm/"]Leon Avdullahu[/a] bailed out his goalkeeper and denied Dimitris Giannoulis after Baumann spilt a cross. Ultimately, neither side could find a winner, meaning each stretched their respective winless runs.[/p][p]Hoffenheim are now without a win in four and are stuttering in their bid for a first ever seat at European football’s top table, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/augsburg/fTVNku3I/"]Augsburg[/a] have not tasted victory in five and are now firmly mired in mid-table. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/claude-maurice-alexis/UTdKF398/"]Alexis Claude-Maurice[/a] (Augsburg)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/augsburg-fTVNku3I/hoffenheim-hQAtP9Sl/?mid=zBrFHLL7"]Check out all the match stats here[/a][/b][/p]