Chris Richards revels in "unforgettable" first Bundesliga goal for Hoffenheim

Richards' maiden strike as a senior pro earned Hoffenheim three important points against Baden-Württemberg rivals Freiburg, as the two teams traded places in the table with Sebastian Hoeneß's men climbing to fourth.

The 21-year-old became the 15th different player to find the net for Hoffenheim this season, opening his Bundesliga account on his 28th outing in Germany's top flight. And he could not have waited for a better time to do it.

"It was a really good feeling," Richards told bundesliga.com. "Scoring the winning goal in stoppage time just meant even more to me and to the team. We've been on a good run, so me being able to do that to give us the win, it was something that I'll never forget."

Richards rose to meet a David Raum corner in the fourth minute of a keenly contested encounter in Freiburg, only moments after the hosts had gone close to snatching derby glory and putting five points of daylight between the two teams.

They now fly into the final two fixtures of 2021 in a promising position for a push for European football next season, and Richards says the results on the field reflect the mood within the camp.

"We're training really hard and have now won four in a row," he said. "We're feeling good and are delighted to have three more points. We feel like brothers and give everything for each other out there, and you can see that. This is what we are all about."

Freiburg's equaliser came while Richards was off the field of play getting treatment for a knock. That gave the on-loan Bayern Munich defender even more reason to make amends, which he was able to do after Oliver Baumann saved a Vincenzo Grifo penalty.

As a result, he and assist provider Raum have plenty to celebrate, after both opening their Bundesliga accounts on a day they will never forget.