SINSHEIM, Germany (AP) - Andrej Kramaric denied Hoffenheim teammate Ishak Belfodil a hat trick by tapping in the final goal in a 4-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Belfodil rounded goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and curled the ball toward the inside of the far post for what would have been his third goal in the 79th minute. But Kramaric rushed in and grazed the ball before it crossed the line, keeping Belfodil from his first hat trick in the league.
Belfodil got the home side off to a flying start in the 10th - set up by Kramaric - before Kevin Volland equalized seven minutes later. An own goal from Sven Bender restored Hoffenheim’s lead in the 51st and Belfodil effectively secured the result 10 minutes later.
Both sides had goals ruled out for offside, while Leverkusen was unfortunate to lose both Karim Bellarabi and Lars Bender to first-half injuries.
The win lifted Hoffenheim to eighth, one point behind Leverkusen, which has now lost consecutive games for the first time under new coach Peter Bosz.
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