Wigan Athletic were given a workout by Hoffenheim but held on for a 1-1 draw against the Bundesliga club.
The Latics were in front after 25 minutes in Bad Wimsbach, Austria with a well-struck volley from Mauro Boselli.
Hoffenheim's equaliser from French centre-back Matthieu Delpierre five minutes before the interval was followed by a dominant second-half display by the Germans.
However, Roberto Martinez's Wigan weathered the storm well.