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Union keeper Loris Karius conceded a goal
Photo: Andreas Gora / dpa
Despite Max Kruse's return to the starting line-up, Union Berlin missed its second win in a row.
Against TSG Hoffenheim, Berlin played 1: 1 (1: 1).
Kruse brought Union into the lead (9th minute, penalty kick).
Hoffenheim equalized with an own goal by Nico Schlotterbeck (29th).
Union remains three points behind the first Europa League place, which Bayer Leverkusen currently holds.
With a Leverkusen's victory against Freiburg on Sunday evening, the gap could grow.
TSG Hoffenheim is in eleventh place in the Bundesliga with 27 points.
When Kruse last sat on the bench against Freiburg, Union got three points again after five games without a win.
Now Kruse was allowed to start again after a twelve-week injury break - and was immediately successful.
Kruse matched Christopher Trimmel, who was gripped in the penalty area by Florian Grillitsch.
Kruse took the penalty that was due and took the lead (9th).
With the goal in the back, Union withdrew, Hoffenheim pushed for the equalizer.
When Ihlas Bebou went overboard to goalkeeper Loris Karius, however, defender Marvin Friedrich cleared the ball in front of the line (13th).
Hoffenheim came to more deals, at times it seemed as if the exploitation of chances remained as bad as in the Europa League out during the week against Molde FK.
After half an hour, TSG got involuntary support from the Union Defensive.
Andrej Kramarić lifted the ball in front of the goal, Karius fended off the cross to the front, where the ball jumped to defender Schlotterbeck's body and then into the goal (29th).
Berlin only played with more offensive urge after the break, but the great chance to take the lead again did not materialize.
Hoffenheim came back into the game better and had more deals.
But it only became really dangerous again in the 75th minute when Bebou appeared alone in front of Karius, but shot the ball from an acute angle next to the goal (75th).
Shortly afterwards, Pavel Kadeřábek scored the supposed winning goal for Hoffenheim, but the goal did not count due to a previous offside position (82nd).
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