Hoffenheim's comeback kids | OneFootball

TSG Hoffenheim have shown tremendous resilience this season and have already taken points from losing positions on six occasions. But it is also the case ahead of the Bundesliga match away to VfL Bochum (Saturday at 15:30 CET / Live Ticker at tsg-hoffenheim.de) that TSG must be more alert, especially in the opening stages.

TSG Hoffenheim have played 18 games to date under head coach Christian Ilzer and have gone 1-0 down in 16 of them. The 3-1 victory away to Holstein Kiel, when Adam Hložek opened the scoring for TSG, and the 0-0 draw against FCSB in the UEFA Europa League are the two exceptions in that timeframe.

Over the course of recent weeks, TSG Hoffenheim have impressively demonstrated that falling behind does not necessarily mean losing. Head coach Christian Ilzer's team have taken points from six Bundesliga matches in which they went 1-0 down and have picked up 10 points in the process – both league highs. “We showed character and came back after going behind. Every point is important," said Kevin Akpoguma following the (1-1) draw against VfB Stuttgart. If only goals scored after the 30th minute counted in the Bundesliga, TSG would already have 31 points on the board and be just four points adrift of fourth place. And Hoffenheim are also very prolific in stoppage time, amassing the third-most points after the 90th minute.

But as we all know, a game does not only last 60 or 45 minutes; it lasts for 90 minutes. And it should be TSG's aim not to always be 1-0 down. "We absolutely have to stop going behind early on; otherwise, we'll always be trailing," said Akpoguma. Over the coming weeks, it will be all about showing belief in oneself on the pitch from the very first minute. Preferably starting on Saturday at VfL Bochum.