Hoffenheim edges Dortmund 1-0 at half-time as Avdullahu pounces on Coufal's delivery

Hoffenheim take a 1–0 lead into the interval at SNP Arena after Leon Avdullahu struck on the stroke of half-time. The right-footed finish from open play, assisted by Vladimír Coufal, gave the hosts a narrow advantage heading into the dressing room. It was the only goal of a tightly contested opening 45 minutes in this Bundesliga meeting between Hoffenheim, set up in a 4-4-2, and Borussia Dortmund, lining up in a 3-4-2-1.

The underlying numbers split almost evenly, which makes the score line look more decisive than the run of play. Hoffenheim edged possession 52% to 48% and registered 9 shots to Dortmund's 4, with 4 of those on target against 2. Total xG sat at 0.60 for Hoffenheim and 0.59 for Dortmund, the kind of margin that suggests the margin could easily flip in the second half.

Avdullahu's strike was the headline individual moment of the half. His goal carried just 0.03 xG, a marker of the type of half-chance Hoffenheim have been able to convert, and came from his shot on target in the period. He produced the highest composite score among the players tracked at 42.6, with a rating of 8.14 reflecting his decisive contribution on the scoreboard. Coufal's role should not be overlooked; the delivery set the platform for the only goal.