"It's a fantastic feeling to score at the last moment!"

With nine saved shots, including six world-class saves, Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann almost managed to keep the scoreline at 2-2. "In the end, it was Erling who put the ball in with all his power," said Marco Rose after the 3-2 home victory, which was frenetically cheered by 25,000 fans. And he took a deep breath.

After a difficult pre-season and repeated personnel setbacks, the team has now picked up six points after three matches. That is five more than in the previous season against the same opponents, noted a writer in the fan chat forum "schwatzgelb.de". Now Rose hopes that the numerous international players will survive the trips to up to three (!) international matches in the next ten days without injury and that those who stay at home can reduce training deficits and heal injuries. Mats Hummels has "the idea of being available again against Leverkusen", Rose revealed, while it is not yet foreseeable how long Emre Can will be out with a thigh muscle injury.

After the European Championship, a late start to training, the following Corona break and only one week of training, right-back Thomas Meunier had to play over 90 minutes. His teammate on the left side of defence, Raphael Guerreiro, left the pitch after 85 minutes "exhausted" according to Rose. Coupled with a stand-in centre-back (Witsel), some defensive errors and already a total of six goals conceded are put into perspective, even if Rose rightly remarked that one has to play more cleverly when one's strength fades, "recover with the ball". His criticism was also aimed at a phase at the beginning of the second half: "There we completely lost control of the game, had no relief."

After goals from Gio Reyna, who at the age of 18 years, nine months and 14 days was the youngest ever player in the history of the Bundesliga to play his 50th game in the elite league, and Jude Bellingham, also only 18 years old (who also set up the 1:0), BVB took a 2-1 lead into the final quarter of an hour and did not allow Hoffenheim another shot on goal until the 90th minute. But then BVB conceded the equalising goal at 2-2 at the hands of an opponent who was overly physical in the first half and dominant at times in the second.

The answer came from the Black and Yellows only 60 seconds later: Reus carried the ball into the penalty area. The very agile Wolf, who had come on as a substitute, failed to beat Baumann on the turn, who once again reacted brilliantly and also saved Moukoko's follow-up shot. But then Haaland was on the spot, slamming the ball into the net for the winning 3-2 goal. "It was crazy. We're so happy now," said Axel Witsel: "It's a fantastic feeling to score at the last moment and take the three points." His coach Marco Rose summed up after a "wild game at the back: I'm happy that the boys were rewarded for their passion!"

Boris Rupert