Without even a week has elapsed since it was loaned to Hannover, Arouna Kone holder left here Saturday for the difficult match against Hoffenheim and responded that confidence with a goal in the second half than it did for the team to win in spite the good game in the second half.

1899 Hoffenheim picked up their first win in seven games against Hannover 96 at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena. The hosts were clearly the better side in the first half, when two goals towards the break put paid to any hopes of a Reds comeback. The 96ers only threat was new signing Arouna Kone, but even his goalscoring display was not enough to lift the visitors out of their increasingly worrying Bundesliga slump.

Both teams began cautiously, with Hoffenheim the first to get a grip on the game without really posing an early threat against a deep-lying Hannover defence. The first half-chance of the match fell to 96 new signing Kone, whose shot from the edge of the area sailed over Timo Hildebrand's crossbar in the Hoffenheim goal.


Hoffenheim slowly picked up pace, however, and with almost 20 minutes gone, Ibisevic spurned a headed opportunity after a good cross from Salihovic. Still the visitors remained a threat, though, with Jiri Stajner linking up well with Elson before failing to beat Hildebrand midway through the half. Just a couple of minutes later and once again the former Germany goalkeeper had to parry an Andreasen free-kick clear.

That was Hannover's best phase, however, as Hoffenheim took a hold of proceedings. Firstly Eggimann was unable to clear a beck cross which almost resulted in Ibisevic netting, before moments later Salihovic sent a searing effort over the bar. The goal was coming, and indeed arrived on 35 minutes when Obasi's superb cross found Carlos Eduardo on the edge of the box, the Brazilian finishing in style into the right hand corner to the joy of the home fans.

First goal of the New Year

Hoffenheim's first goal of 2010 initiated a period of domination. Eduardo duped Schulz into a foul just inside the area, Salihovic stepping up to convert from the spot with five minutes remaining until the break. Fromlowitz was helpless to stop the ball flying into the right-hand corner despite guessing the right way, and 1899 went in with a 2-0 goal lead at the interval.

In the second period it was still Ralf Rangnick's charges who reigned supreme and could easily have put the three points beyond Hannover's reach on 52 minutes, only for Fromlowitz to foil Ibisevic following a defensive error by Pinto. The Bosnian striker again should have done better five minutes later when he failed to find the target from the edge of the box after a wonderful combination with Maicosuel in attack. The miss was especially bitter for the home fans, who could only watch as Arouna Kona made it 2-1 at the other end after being played in by Elson.