Three and easy for Hoffenheim

Improving Hoffenheim picked up their second successive Bundesliga win with a dominating 3-0 triumph over Stuttgart.

Improving Hoffenheim picked up their second successive Bundesliga win with a dominating 3-0 triumph over a lethargic Stuttgart. Takashi Usami gave Hoffenheim the lead after just five minutes and Joselu doubled the advantage in the 47th for his first goal in the Bundesliga. Fabian Johnson finished the scoring after 58 minutes. Hoffenheim, who had lost their opening three matches, improved to six points to move into mid-table while Stuttgart suffered their first-ever defeat against Hoffenheim to remain second-bottom on two points. Stuttgart had the first clear chance of the game in the third minute but Vedad Ibisevic's header from eight yards out went just wide. Hoffenheim grabbed the lead soon after as Usami danced through the right side of the Stuttgart defence before beating keeper Sven Ulreich with a shot through his legs. Ulreich made a great save to keep Hoffenheim from increasing their lead, stopping Johnson's one-on-one attempt after 20 minutes following a pass from Usami. Stuttgart failed to create much going forward and Hoffenheim doubled their advantage two minutes after the break following a counter-attack. Roberto Firmino fed a through-ball to Joselu, who got past Serdar Tasci and then beat Ulreich. Ulreich did all he could to keep his team from falling further adrift but Hoffenheim overcame the Stuttgart keeper again just before the hour to seal the points. Ulreich stopped Joselu's chance on the counter-attack as well as Usami's rebound effort, but he could not keep out Johnson's shot as the visitors netted at the third attempt. Stuttgart nearly pulled a goal back in the 70th minute in bizarre fashion when Joselu's attempted clearance hit the head of Stuttgart's Christian Gentner, but the ball went just over the crossbar.