Bundesliga: Hoffenheim start with 2-0 win over Augsburg

Hoffenheim began their Bundesliga campaign with a 2-0 win over Augsburg on Saturday afternoon.

Adam Szalai marked his debut with a goal before Tarik Elyounoussi added a second just two minutes later.

Augsburg, who lost in the first round of the DFB-Pokal last weekend, tried to find a route back into the game in the second half, but they came up against a well-drilled Hoffenheim defence.

Next Friday night, the Bavarians have the unenviable task of hosting Supercup winners Borussia Dortmund with morale low after two straight defeats.

Hoffenheim came into the game full of confidence after scoring nine in the cup last weekend, even if the man who netted five of them - Sven Schipplock - was left out of the starting XI.

Instead, Szalai found himself partnered by Roberto Firmino and the lively Brazilian led their assault on the Augsburg goal.

The chances started to multiply before Szalai found the key to unlock the Augsburg defence just after the half-hour, although it was more the Bavarians' failure to clear their lines satisfactorily which led to the former Mainz and Schalke forward netting from close range.

Within two minutes, the ball was in the back of the net once again with Firmino's cross this time picking out Elyounoussi, who guided the ball past Marwin Hitz from 10 yards out.

Hoffenheim's biggest problem last season was not scoring goals, however, but conceding too many.

For the 75 they scored, they let in 70 with the league's second worst defence.

It appears they have learnt their lesson, however, as they kept Augsburg at bay in the second half, dropping their gung-ho approach and playing a more intelligent game, aiming to catch the Bavarians out on the counter-attack.

Markus Feulner tried to lead an Augsburg recovery, but the former Bayern Munich and Nurnberg midfielder was fighting a losing battle as his side slumped to another loss.