Bundesliga: Hoffenheim win to stop Frankfurt run

Hoffenheim bounced back from defeat to Borussia Dortmund last weekend by bringing an end to Eintracht Frankfurt's recent rise up the standings with a 3-2 win at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

Kevin Volland gave Hoffenheim the lead just before half-time, but Stefan Aigner brought the Eagles level.

Adam Szalai restored Hoffenheim's lead, but Frankfurt hit back again through Haris Seferovic.

Roberto Firmino had the final say with a late winner to take Hoffenheim above their guests and level on points with fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

Former Hoffenheim custodian Timo Hildebrand found himself thrust back into Bundesliga action less than 48 hours after signing terms for Eintracht Frankfurt to cover for injuries.

It was a first appearance in over a year for the 35-year-old, and he was not necessarily eased back into the action.

Hoffenheim had no fewer than seven shots on goal inside the first half an hour, and the eighth ended up in the back of Hildebrand's goal.

The former Stuttgart, Valencia and Schalke custodian was not free from any blame either as he misjudged his run out, allowing Volland to latch on to Firmino's through ball and, after nudging the ball past the already committed keeper with his first touch, he swept the ball into the open goal with his second.

Frankfurt showed they meant business at the start of the second half when Alexander Meier hooked a shot over from close range and then Aigner levelled, turning in Bastian Oczipka's cross on the volley from near the penalty spot.

Hildebrand then found himself in the thick of the action again, first making a great save before failing to block Pirmin Schwegler's volleyed shot with the ball squirming through his legs and finding Szalai with the goal at his mercy from a yard out, and the Hungarian made no mistake.

Hoffenheim had chances to increase their lead with Tarik Elyounoussi flashing a shot across the face of goal before hitting the post soon after.

Frankfurt responded to that let-off by levelling again, Seferovic scoring at the second time of asking after the angle had become even tighter.

The momentum was back with the visitors and Meier was denied by a good save from Oliver Baumann, but the next twist was not far away.

Hildebrand made an excellent instinctive one-armed save to prevent Szalai from scoring his second, but the ball fell back for the Hungarian to backheel into the centre, where Firmino turned it in, giving Hoffenheim the lead for the third time on the night in the 87th minute.

It almost was not the final say of the match, though, as Marco Russ was denied a third equaliser with the last kick of the game going straight at Baumann from close range.