Without a win in seven games, an early goal was precisely what Hoffenheim needed, and they got it thanks to Baumgartner sneaking between Timo Horn’s legs in the 11th minute. However, they would have been careful after scoring early in the 1-1 draw. with Paderborn at the weekend, but after referee Felix Brych consulted VAR to turn an early yellow card into a red card for Sebastiaan Bornauw following a foul on Baumgartner, the hosts had to believe in their chances of ending their winless run. It was better for Alfred Schreuder’s men when Baumgartner put the ball in the back of the net after a pass from Munas Dabbur just before the break, but this time VAR ruled against the hosts with the goal flagged offside.
Baumgartner didn’t have to wait long to celebrate his second goal: just 40 minutes after the restart, he headed in a cross from Robert Skov, despite Jorge Mere trying to clear the ball off the line. for Hoffenheim’s third goal, conscientiously sending the ball past Steven Zuber, who placed it in the far corner. A red card for Hoffenheim captain Benjamin Hübner restored parity to the team, and Florian Kainz tried to score the score. a point for Cologne, with the help of a deflection from Havard Nordtveit. The Norwegian foreign defender was to blame for a handball in the box, giving former Hoffenheim player Mark Uth the chance to get Cologne into a goal from the penalty spot. Before Oliver Baumann came to the rescue of the locals.