Freiburg beats Hoffenheim in thriller
Freiburg got the better of Hoffenheim 5-3 at the Dreisamstadion with the pressure increasing on the visitors' coach Markus Babbel.
The game started well for Hoffenheim with Matthieu Delpierre putting them ahead in the second minute, but Karim Guede and Max Kruse turned the game around before half-time.
Boris Vukcevic brought Hoffenheim level in the 57th minute before Fallou Diagne headed Freiburg ahead for the second time.
Hoffenheim refused to lie down and they equalized again through Takashi Usami in the 76th minute, but Cedric Makiadi and Sebastian Freis ensured Christian Streich's side were ultimately rewarded with all three points.
Hoffenheim came into the game on the back of three straight defeats, including a 4-0 loss at home to Eintracht Frankfurt a fortnight ago, so an early goal was just what the doctor ordered, and Delpierre delivered.
Sebastian Rudy's free-kick caused confusion in the Freiburg penalty area and the former Stuttgart defender was on hand to poke the loose ball in from close range.
Freiburg, whose own season had not been much to write home about either, responded well with numerous good chances before making the breakthrough.
There was similar confusion in the Hoffenheim area with Guede the only one keeping a level head to bring the home team level in the 17th minute.
Freiburg continued to probe and they were rewarded with a second goal in the 27th minute with Kruse heading in Julian Schuster's cross from the right.
Hoffenheim leveled out of the blue in the 57th minute with Vukcevic capitalizing on some soft defending from Oliver Sorg, and the two teams then exchanged blows in an exciting conclusion to the match.
Diagne put Freiburg back in front in the 68th minute when he headed in Kruse's corner after Tim Wiese failed to reach the ball.
Eight minutes later, Usami leveled with a stunning shot on the turn from 20 yards out which left Oliver Baumann with no chance.
There was more to come, though, as Freiburg regained the lead for the third time in the game with Makiadi on hand to touch the ball in after Wiese again misjudged a Kruse corner.
Freis then ensured there would be no more comebacks from Hoffenheim as he made it five in the 87th minute with Kruse yet again the provider, sending the ball to Freis, who took it around Wiese before slotting into the empty goal.
Jonathan Schmid nearly grabbed a sixth, but Wiese pushed the ball onto the crossbar.