- Andrej Kramaric (16', 50', 86')
- Kenan Karaman (24')
Andrej Kramaric hat trick lifts Hoffenheim into top four
Andrej Kramaric scored a brilliant hat trick as Hoffenheim moved into the Champions League places with a 3-1 victory over Hannover.
Julian Nagelsmann's team won a third straight Bundesliga game to move into the top four ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who can regain fourth spot with a victory over Stuttgart on Saturday.
It was Croatian Kramaric who opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Salif Sane's woeful back-pass was seized upon by Serge Gnabry, allowing him to present Kramaric with a tap-in.
The visitors replied soon after, though, as ex-Hoffenheim midfielder Pirmin Schwegler squared for Kenan Karaman to level.
Ex-Leicester striker Kramaric restored Hoffenheim's lead after the break, having been left all alone to drive home an unstoppable right-footed volley direct from Kerem Demirbay's corner.
And Kramaric wrapped up the victory four minutes from time by collecting a long clearance on his chest and lifting over goalkeeper Philipp Tschauner from 25 yards out after the keeper had been caught off his line.
Game Information
German Bundesliga Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayer Leverkusen | 30 | 25 | 5 | 0 | +55 | 80 |
| Bayern Munich | 30 | 21 | 3 | 6 | +50 | 66 |
| VfB Stuttgart | 30 | 20 | 3 | 7 | +32 | 63 |
| RB Leipzig | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | +35 | 59 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | +23 | 57 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | +6 | 45 |
| SC Freiburg | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | -11 | 40 |
| FC Augsburg | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | -1 | 39 |
| TSG Hoffenheim | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | -7 | 39 |
| 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | -9 | 34 |
| Werder Bremen | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | -12 | 34 |
| Borussia Monchengladbach | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | -7 | 31 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | -15 | 31 |
| 1. FC Union Berlin | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | -24 | 29 |
| Mainz | 30 | 5 | 12 | 13 | -17 | 27 |
| VfL Bochum | 30 | 5 | 12 | 13 | -26 | 27 |
| FC Cologne | 30 | 4 | 10 | 16 | -30 | 22 |
| SV Darmstadt 98 | 30 | 3 | 8 | 19 | -42 | 17 |
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