Bundesliga: Hoffenheim 1 Stuttgart 2

Stuttgart stretched their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to four matches after claiming a 2-1 win on the road against Hoffenheim on Friday.

Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic scored a first half brace to give Stuttgart a comfortable lead at the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena, but a Sejad Salihovic penalty with 16 minutes remaining ensured a nervy finish for the visitors.

Ibisevic opened the scoring after just eight minutes, running on to a looping pass from Khalid Boulahrouz the right wing and finishing with his left foot past goalkeeper Tom Starke.

The Bosnian made it 2-0 just before the break when he again connected with a Boulahrouz cross from the right, this time diving low to fire a header into the back of the net.

Striker Salihovic was introduced after half time in place of midfielder Sebastian Rudy as Hoffenheim pushed forward in search of a way back into the match, and the substitute came up with the goods from the penalty spot on 74 minutes.

Hoffenheim continued to press for an equaliser in the dying minutes but were unable to find one, Stuttgart holding on to the three points and moving to provisionally into seventh places ahead of the rest of the weekend’s matches.