Wagner double earns Hoffenheim first win in five matches

BERLIN: Hoffenheim’s Germany forward Sandro Wagner scored twice as they beat bottom club Cologne 3-0 for their first victory in five Bundesliga matches to move back up to fifth place.

Dennis Geiger put the visitors ahead after good work from Kerem Demirbay and Nadiem Amiri after 10 minutes.

Wagner, battling for a spot in next year’s World Cup squad, doubled the lead with a 56th-minute penalty and volleyed in Andrej Kramaric’s cross at the far post 10 minutes from time.

Wagner made a case to face England in Germany’s forthcoming friendly international on Friday at Wembley before hosting France four days later in Cologne in matches designed to test the defending champions before next year’s World Cup in Russia.

Wagner’s double in Cologne is well timed after Germany’s firstchoice striker Timo Werner underlined his form after a neck injury with a goal and assist in Leipzig’s 2- 1 comeback win at home to Hanover on Saturday.

Cologne failed to show any of the form that helped them crush Bate Borisov 5-2 in the Europa League in midweek and remain bottom with two points and no wins from 11 games.

Hertha Berlin’s Davie Selke got a late equaliser to deny Wolfsburg a first victory under coach Martin Schmidt, who now has a record-extending seven straight draws since taking over.

The Wolves missed a penalty and had two efforts disallowed after advice from the video assistant referee in the first half but still led 3-2 before Selke got a lucky bounce to tap in the leveller in the 84th minute of a topsy-turvy encounter.

Wolfsburg are 14th on 11 points with Hertha in 11th, three points ahead. — Agencies