Hoffenheim 0-0 Leverkusen at Half-Time: Hosts Dominate the xG Battle but Have Nothing to Show for It

Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen go into the half-time break level at 0-0 at the SNP Arena, but the scoreline tells only a fraction of the story. The hosts have carved out the better chances, building a 1.13 to 0.27 expected goals advantage across the opening 45 minutes. It is a gap that reflects genuine territorial and creative superiority rather than a statistical quirk.

Both sides set up in a 4-2-3-1, and the symmetry of the shapes produced an opening period where Hoffenheim's midfield double pivot found pockets between Leverkusen's lines. The hosts attempted 14 shots to Leverkusen's five, and while only two of those found the target, the volume and quality of the chances point to a side that has executed its attacking plan well without the final touch.

The most telling number in Hoffenheim's first-half performance is the open-play xG split: 1.00 to 0.16. Hoffenheim have created their chances through structured build-up and purposeful movement rather than set-piece chaos. Adam Hložek has been the primary beneficiary, accumulating 0.53 xG on his own — more than double Leverkusen's entire first-half output. Fisnik Asllani has added 0.16 xG, Wouter Burger 0.17, and Ozan Kabak 0.10, spreading the threat across multiple attacking avenues.

Leverkusen, by contrast, have managed just five shots and none on target. Their 0.27 xG is split almost evenly between open play (0.16) and set plays (0.11), suggesting they have yet to find a consistent route through Hoffenheim's defensive structure. The visitors have won more duels (28 to 23) but have been unable to convert that physical edge into meaningful chances.

Possession is nearly even at 51-49 in Hoffenheim's favour, and both teams have completed a similar number of passes — 181 for Hoffenheim at 83% accuracy, 177 for Leverkusen at 81%. The difference is in where those passes have led. Hoffenheim have played 96 passes in Leverkusen's half compared to 77 for the visitors, and have registered 18 touches in the box to Leverkusen's 12.

Hoffenheim have also won three corners to Leverkusen's one and created the only big chance of the half. The foul count — eight for Hoffenheim, two for Leverkusen — indicates the hosts have been the more aggressive side in the press, disrupting Leverkusen's rhythm without picking up more than one yellow card each.

The second half asks a straightforward question: can Hoffenheim convert their expected goals dominance into actual goals, or will Leverkusen find a way to punish the waste?