FC Bayern despairs at FC Augsburg for 81 minutes, then VAR intervenes and gives the record champions a justified penalty kick. He sits and Bayern saves the second disappointment within a few days. 1. FC Köln make a big comeback.
FC Bayern Munich – FC Augsburg 1:0 (0:0)
A long-sluggish FC Bayern has picked up very little momentum for the big Villarreal duel against FC Augsburg. A hand penalty goal by striker Robert Lewandowski (82nd minute) after video evidence made it 1-0 (0-0) and the loud cheering of the 75,000 spectators in the Munich Arena for the first time. With the home win in the Bundesliga, Bayern came another step closer to their tenth championship title.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann can still think about the tough 90 minutes for next Tuesday, when the Munich team have to catch up with Villarreal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League 0-1. A number of his stars are not in top form right now, not only the offensive aces Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry, but also reliable long-term performers like Joshua Kimmich or Thomas Müller. Leon Goretzka did nothing in his 57 minutes. Lewandowski mostly waited in vain for passes in the center of attack before he scored his 32nd goal from the penalty spot with nerves of steel. Augsburg’s Reece Oxford was unlucky enough to hit the outstretched arm.
Lewandowski had previously failed with a header from his Polish compatriot Rafal Gikiewicz (47th minute). The FCA goalkeeper was also able to repel a shot from Kimmich brilliantly (63′). Later Kimmich hit the crossbar (85′). After the home wins against Wolfsburg and Mainz, the Augsburgers, who appeared self-confident and solid, almost got a bonus point in the relegation battle. As with the 2-1 win in the first leg, a lot was possible even before the break, but the guests lacked the necessary punch when faced with the opportunities that arose.
FC Bayern’s newly formed defense with Tanguy Nianzou and Omar Richards proved vulnerable. Good opportunities opened up for Ruben Vargas, André Hahn and Daniel Caligiuri. But they were stopped. The only real Bayern chance in the first half was a free kick from 18 meters, which Lewandowski couldn’t even get on target. The inclusion of Jamal Musiala for Gnabry initially had little effect after the change of sides. Musiala shot wide from a good position (75′). Nagelsmann drew all possible jokers. He brought Alphonso Davies, Marcel Sabitzer and later Kingsley Coman. Effect? A little more pressure and the willpower forced victory with a penalty after the intervention of the video assistant.
1. FC Cologne – FSV Mainz 05 3: 2 (0: 1)
With the first success after two home games without a win, 1. FC Köln still have their eye on the international starting places in the Bundesliga after a great race to catch up. Coach Steffen Baumgart’s team defeated FSV Mainz 05 3:2 (0:1) after trailing 2-0 and is still well in the race with 43 points. Mainz, on the other hand, remained without a win in their third away game in a week and have not won ten games in a row away from home.
In front of 49,800 spectators in the RheinEnergieStadion, which was not completely sold out, Ellyes Skhiri (60th minute), Dejan Ljubicic (78th) and Mainz loanee Luca Kilian (82nd) scored the goals for the hosts, Jonathan Burkardt (14th) and Karim Onisiwo (55th). .) had previously scored for Mainz.
Six professionals were missing from Cologne for various reasons, but goalscorer Anthony Modeste was back at the start just in time for the complete return of the spectators in the completely sold-out RheinEnergieStadion. The south curve had celebrated the complete return to the stadium before the game with a pyro show and chants. Captain Jonas Hector moved into defensive midfield because the ailing Salih Özcan stayed on the bench for the time being.
The strenuous guest performance with three games within a week was hardly noticeable for the Mainzers. Coach Bo Svensson largely relied on the eleven that lost 2-1 in Augsburg, only young national player Anton Stach moved into the starting line-up. With their five-man defense and early attacks by the offensive players, the guests caused problems for the Cologne team. The Rheinhessen also got the opening goal through their top scorer Burkardt, who scored his tenth goal of the season. The U21 European champions benefited from Luca Kilian, the Mainz loan player in an FC jersey deflected the ball into his own goal to make it 0-1.
Although the hosts had the greater share of the game, they created far too few opportunities in the opposing penalty area. Due to their compact defence, Mainz left little space and thus provoked many mistakes in the opponent’s passing game. They also made better use of their chances. Onisiwo even managed to make it 2-0 for the guests with a shot from a tight angle. Only then woke up the FC. Shortly thereafter, Skhiri made it 1:2 and thus opened up the now very lively game, which was characterized by many duels. And in fact, substitute Ljubicic managed to equalize with a right-footed shot to make it 2-2 – before Kilian scored the acclaimed winning goal.
Greuther Furth – Borussia Monchengladbach 0:2 (0:2)
SpVgg Greuther Fürth remains a favorite opponent of Borussia Mönchengladbach. Coach Adi Hütter’s team won 2-0 (2-0) with the Franks and probably also robbed the cloverleaf of their last mini-hope in the fight for league status. In front of 13,900 spectators, returnees Marcus Thuram (18th) and Alassane Pléa (24th) made the early decision with a penalty kick. Fürth remained without a win in the twelfth competitive duel with the Gladbachers.
Despite their tenth win of the season, Borussia are stagnating in midfield. The chance of a safe place in the European Cup seems just as small as the danger of slipping into the basement ranks. For the Franks, on the other hand, the decline can now hardly be prevented, even mathematically. With five games left, the gap to the supposedly saving relegation place is ten points. Whether it would continue in the 2nd league with coach Stefan Leitl was left open before the kick-off. “It is possible in all directions. At the moment there is nothing to communicate,” Leitl told Sky TV. The 44-year-old was recently associated with FC Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC.
In what was possibly his last home game as a Kleeblatt coach, Leitl saw Fürther overwhelmed in the first half, who came under pressure early on. First, Florian Neuhaus (2nd) pushed the ball past the post, then a shot from Breel Embolo (5th) landed directly on the chest of Fürth keeper Andreas Linde. Finally, Thuram, who played from the start after surviving adductor problems, rewarded Gladbach with a well-placed shot into the far corner. Fueled by their fan block, the Fohlenelf remained the better team. After an alleged foul by Fürth’s Timothy Tillman on Stefan Lainer, referee Tobias Stieler initially allowed play to continue – but after the intervention of the video assistant he rightly decided on a penalty. Plea transformed.
After the break, Mönchengladbach managed to take the lead without making any more offensive moves. Fürth got into the game better and combined again and again in front of the opposing goal. In the end, the goals of Max Christiansen (56th) and Jamie Leweling (70th) did not cause any problems for foal goalkeeper Yann Sommer. The fact that the Fürth defeat was not higher was also due to Linde, who kept parrying the attacks from Thuram, Neuhaus and Pléa.
VfL Wolfsburg – Arminia Bielefeld 4: 0 (2: 0)
VfL Wolfsburg took a big step towards staying up in the league with a convincing 4-0 (2-0) win over Bielefeld and exacerbated Arminia’s fears of relegation. With 34 points, the Bundesliga club has increased its lead over the direct relegation zone to eight points after goals by Lukas Nmecha (11th minute/38th), Maximilian Arnold (48th) and Max Kruse (53rd). Bielefeld, on the other hand, has 26 points and only one point from the past seven games to worry about remaining in the league. In addition, Cedric Brunner threatens to fail as the next professional in the long term with a head injury.
VfL managing director Jörg Schmadtke and coach Florian Kohfeldt, who had recovered from his corona infection, had demanded a reaction after the desolate performance at 0: 3 in Augsburg. There was little sign of this at the beginning. Bielefeld had a great chance to take the lead after just two minutes: Robin Hack got the ball in front of Koen Casteels in front of 22,512 spectators, but the VfL captain saved with a brilliant act. Then came Wolfsburg’s response to the criticism: the 23-year-old converted a perfect pass from Yannick Gerhardt into the path of national player Nmecha with a shot into the far corner. The 2009 champion then looked as if he had been replaced. Jonas Wind threw the ball to the underside of the crossbar after a nice dribble (17′).
After the early chance, there was no sign of the guests, who lined up to support Fabian Klos with his shirt number 9, who had suffered a serious head injury. The offensive around Patrick Wimmer, who is under discussion for the new season in Wolfsburg, was no longer accessible. Then there was the next moment of shock for coach Frank Kramer’s team: VfL striker Wind and Arminia defender Brunner banged their heads after a corner. After minutes of treatment by the Arminia doctors and paramedics on the pitch, the 28-year-old Swiss was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and had to be substituted.
The guests had to recover from the renewed setback first. However, Wolfsburg did not give up and showed themselves to be better than in previous appearances in this respect as well. That was rewarded. After a corner, Gerhardt found the agile Nmecha again, who was able to head in from very short range (38′). Bielefeld didn’t come back into the game after the break either. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, shook off the three defeats from the last three matches with every minute. Arnold curled a free kick into the corner (48th). Five minutes later, after a pass from Ridle Baku, Kruse headed in from close range to score. The game was decided long ago.
In the final minutes, Arminia complained about the next injuries. Florian Krüger had to leave the pitch, then Hack hobbled into the dressing room. Since Kramer could no longer make a change, his team had to play the botched game twice outnumbered.