African All Stars

Super-sub Bebou outshines Awoniyi as Hoffenheim pip Mainz 05

Taiye Taiwo
30/05/2020
African All Stars
Bundesliga
Ihlas Bebou
Diadie Samassekou
Mainz 05
Taiwo Awoniyi
Mainz 05 v Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim
The Togolese winger came off the bench to score the only goal that separated both teams at the Opel Arena on Saturday
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Super-sub Ihlas Bebou was the hero for Hoffenheim in Saturday's Bundesliga fixture as he scored the only goal in their 1-0 victory over Taiwo Awoniyi's Mainz 05.

The Togo international was introduced for Bruun Larsen in the 38th minute and he made a statement within six minutes, scoring his fourth league goal of the season which turned out to be the match-winning strike.

Mali's Diadie Samassekou assisted Bebou in finding the back of the net as Hoffenheim secured their second straight win in the Bundesliga.

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Nigeria forward Awoniyi was on parade from start to finish for Mainz 05 but he could not double his tally in the German top-flight this term, however, Cameroon's Pierre Kunde came on as a 70th-minute substitute for the hosts.

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The victory at Opel Arena moved Hoffenheim to seventh in the league table, level on 42 points with sixth-place Wolfsburg after 29 matches while Mainz 05 are placed 15th, a point adrift of the relegation zone with 28 points after 29 games.

Bebou joined Hoffenheim from Hannover 96 last summer and he has scored four goals so far in 27 league outings - he is a goal short from matching his best tally in a Bundesliga season since he made his debut in 2017.

The 24-year-old has spent his entire career in Germany so far, developing through the ranks at Fortuna Dusseldorf where he started his professional journey.

He left the club to join Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga in August 2017 and he spent two years at the HDI Arena, scoring eight goals in 42 league outings.

Bebou has been ever-present at Hoffenheim since his signing last summer, with his firepower from the flanks.

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On the international scene, the Togo-born forward has made 19 appearances for the Sparrowhawks since his debut outing against Djibouti back in 2016.

He opened his goal account for the West African country during an international friendly match against Cape Verde in October 2019.

Bebou will be hoping to help Hoffenheim continue their winning run when they visit his former team, Fortuna Dusseldorf for their next Bundesliga fixture on June 6.