The hosts got off to a rapid start with a quickfire double inside the opening quarter of an hour. On 11 minutes, Alexis Claude-Maurice set off on a slaloming run from halfway, and after exchanging passes with Robin Fellhauer, he struck a low, hard shot past Oliver Baumann.
Three minutes later, it was a much more route one effort that undid the visitors for a second time, as Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s long ball over the top found Michael Gregoritsch, who out-muscled Ozan Kabak and lashed his strike home.
Christian Ilzer’s Champions League chasers were stunned and only a last-ditch Albian Hajdari challenge denied Anton Kade before the latter of those two stung the palms of Baumann.
Die Kraichgauer had really created nothing of note through 35 minutes, but they halved the deficit, when Vladimír Coufal’s corner was met by a stooping header from his countryman Robin Hranáč with 10 minutes until the break.
But they weren’t finished yet, and pulled themselves level three minutes before HT. Fisnik Asllani picked out Bazoumana Touré with a clever backheel in tight space, and the 20-year-old’s square ball wrong-footed Finn Dahmen in the home goal and nestled in the corner via the inside of the post.
Despite drawing level in fortuitous circumstances, the visitors were almost behind again in stoppage time of what was a breathless first half. Firstly, it was another critical Hajdari intervention as he cleared Gouweleeuw’s header off the line, before Gregoritsch struck the bar with a half-volley from 12 yards.
In stark contrast to the first half, it took Hoffenheim just 30 seconds to have their first big chance after the restart, as Tim Lemperle glanced a header on to the roof of the net after Grischa Prömel’s clever flick-on.
Lemperle then threatened again moments later, with a low shot saved after an intricate link-up with Asllani and Andrej Kramarić in the box.
It took until the 70-minute mark for the hosts to threaten in the second half, and it was Claude-Maurice again, as, this time, his low, hard effort took a wicked deflection and almost caught out Baumann, but he reacted well and saved with his legs.
Just when it looked as though the game would peter out, the hosts were gifted a late chance at a winner when Bernardo caught Kade in the box. Up stepped Claude-Maurice but he sent his effort over the bar.
There was still time for another goal-line clearance from a Hoffenheim player as Leon Avdullahu bailed out his goalkeeper and denied Dimitris Giannoulis after Baumann spilt a cross. Ultimately, neither side could find a winner, meaning each stretched their respective winless runs.
Hoffenheim are now without a win in four and are stuttering in their bid for a first ever seat at European football’s top table, while Augsburg have not tasted victory in five and are now firmly mired in mid-table.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Alexis Claude-Maurice (Augsburg)