German Bundesliga: Hoffenheim edge seven-goal thriller

Hoffenheim got back to winning ways on Saturday with a 4-3 win over Hannover, which took them above their opponents to seventh in the Bundesliga.

Pirmin Schwegler and Kevin Volland gave Hoffenheim a two-goal lead, but Hannover hit back through Lars Stindl just before half-time and Joselu not long after.

Eugen Polanski and Niklas Sule re-established a two-goal lead for Markus Gisdol's men, but Stindl gave Hannover some hope late on.

Hoffenheim did not relinquish their lead this time, though, as they brought an end to a three-game losing streak to win for the first time in a month.

The crossbar came to Hannover's rescue in the sixth minute when Sven Schipplock's deflected shot cannoned out to safety, but the opening goal was not long in coming.

Hoffenheim were appealing for a penalty when Volland was fouled by Hiroki Sakai on the edge of the penalty area, but the referee gave a free-kick.

It was as good as a penalty for Schwegler, though, who drilled his shot past the wall and inside the post with Ron-Robert Zieler unable to reach it.

Volland scored the second for Hoffenheim when he converted Kim Jin-Su's pinpoint cross.

However, Hannover managed to pull a goal back before the interval. Oliver Baumann missed a cross, allowing Stindl to beat Andreas Beck in an aerial duel.

It was 2-2 in the 52nd minute when former Hoffenheim forward Joselu converted Jimmy Briand's pass for his third goal of the season.

However, Hoffenheim regained the lead seven minutes later when Volland pulled the ball back for Polanski - whose long-range shot flew over Zieler and in.

Four minutes later, Sule headed Schwegler's cross in from close range, but the drama did not end there.

Ceyhun Gulselam failed to beat Baumann in a one-on-one situation - but Stindl did pull a goal back with four minutes remaining.

Hannover had just one chance to level late on - but with almost all the Hoffenheim team now behind the ball, the eventual shot from Stindl was inevitably blocked as Hoffenheim held on.