Sinsheim, Germany (My Sportsbook) - Maicosuel scored in the 39th minute and Hoffenheim beat Freiburg, 1-0, on Sunday at Badenova-Stadion to climb to fifth in the German Bundesliga.

Hoffenheim, in its second season in Germany's top division, led at the winter break last season and is proving to be a club to contend with again. Hoffe is just three points off the pace of first-place Bayer Leverkusen after 11 weeks.

Maicosuel fired Hoffenheim into the lead before half when he accepted a pass from Vedad Ibisevic and placed an 18-yard shot from the top of the area into the upper right.

Hoffe held onto the slight edge for its sixth win of the campaign. Hoffenheim moved ahead of Bayern Munich, defending league champion Wolfsburg and Mainz with the victory.

Also Sunday, Maik Franz answered his own first-half own goal with the match- winner in the 53rd and Eintracht edged Bochum 2-1 to move into the top half of the standings in ninth.