Hoffenheim eased through to the next round of the DFB Pokal with a 4-0 victory over Erzgebirge Aue at the Erzgebirgsstadion on Friday evening. The Round of 64 tie was never really in doubt, though it took until the 63rd minute for the visitors to make the scoreline comfortable. Aue looked out of their depth from the first whistle, and Hoffenheim rarely needed to work hard for their goals.
The hosts started with more organisation than their recent results suggested, but that faded quickly. Patrick Wimmer opened the scoring in the sixth minute, and by then it was clear Hoffenheim were going to control proceedings. Wouter Burger added a second just before the quarter-hour mark, and Aue's defence had nothing left to offer. Maxim Burghardt picked up a yellow card in the 42nd minute as frustration set in, and Wimmer struck again immediately after the break.
And here's the thing about these cup ties — you can see where the game is decided before anyone actually notices. Hoffenheim changed their approach after the break, bringing on three players in a single window at the 61st minute. Nathan De Cat, Adam Hložek and Tim Lemperle all came on together, and the fresh legs made an immediate difference. Max Moerstedt scored in the 63rd minute to put the result beyond doubt.
The statistics tell the story without embellishment. Hoffenheim enjoyed 65 per cent possession and created five big chances from 12 shots on target, while Aue managed just one shot on target from a total of four attempts. The visitors racked up 129 attacks compared to 50, and their expected goals figure of 3.36 was always going to be exceeded. Aue's goalkeeper made seven saves, which says more about their determination than anything else.
Aue's recent form has been up and down — a 2-4 defeat to Schalke 04 last weekend followed a run of victories against lower opposition. Hoffenheim, meanwhile, have been testing themselves against tougher opposition, drawing 2-2 with Tottenham before losing 3-0 in a separate fixture. The gap between the sides was always going to show in a cup tie, and it showed comprehensively.
The result means Hoffenheim move into the Round of 16 with minimal fuss. Aue's campaign is over, and the scoreline reflected a team that lacked the quality to compete at this level. By then, the match had become a formality, and there was nothing left to play for beyond pride.