BERLIN – Striker Mark Uth fired Hoffenheim up to third in the Bundesliga on Wednesday with a late winner in their 1-0 victory at home to VfB Stuttgart.
The 25-year-old Uth tapped home on 81 minutes after good work by Czech right back Pavel Kaderabek, who reacted quickest after Stuttgart defender Benjamin Pavard’s attempted clearance came back off the post.
It was Uth’s eighth league goal of the season.
With Stuttgart pushing for an equaliser in added time, their Germany goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler raced into the opposing penalty area to add his height to a late corner.
But Hoffenheim quickly counter-attacked, leaving Zieler stranded and caught way out of his goal, before Andrej Kramaric tapped into an empty net in added time.
However, the goal just before the final whistle did not count as the ex-Leicester City striker was offside when the final pass was made.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich could later go 10 points clear when they host bottom side Cologne at the Allianz Arena.