In Gladbach, a dismissal caused angry discussions, in Bochum FC Schalke left last place in the Bundesliga. 1. FC Union does not win again and loses the connection to first place. Hoffenheim sets a minus record, while Werder Bremen loses away.
1. FC Union Berlin – 1. FC Cologne 0-0
Ironically, the “Wahl-Köpenicker” Steffen Baumgart tripped his heart club Union Berlin in the race for the Champions League qualification. With 1. FC Köln, the coach and former Union player fought a 0-0 draw in Berlin and curbed the negative trend after the last two defeats. Despite the second goalless Bundesliga home game, the Berliners are holding up well in the top flight of the Bundesliga. Cologne is in the secure midfield.
For FC coach Baumgart, the trip to his former club in Berlin was special. “Of course the game at Union is special for me. I still have an apartment in Köpenick,” said the two-time “Unioner of the Year” (2003 and 2004) in advance. The Berlin audience received him with applause. What Baumgart saw after kick-off on the freshly laid lawn, on the other hand, he initially found much less appealing. Union started energetically, immediately built up pressure and provoked mistakes from Cologne. Kevin Behrens fought for the ball in a duel with Florian Kainz, but then aimed too centrally from around 16 meters (4th).
Highlights like this were a rarity in the first half. Union and Cologne could hardly get through against the well-organized defensive rows, and standards also fizzled out. Union played isolated advances over the fast Sheraldo Becker unclean. After the break, both sides increased the tempo and found their way into the last third more often. Union’s Josip Juranovic (49′) failed first, then Cologne’s Linton Maina (50′) twisted after a counterattack from close range. Cologne gained great advantages, also because unusual mistakes crept into Union’s game structure. The Berliners could rely on Frederik Rönnow. The goalkeeper exuded great security and kept Union in the game.
1. FSV Mainz 05 – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 1-0 (1-0)
TSG Hoffenheim is still in free fall towards league two. Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team, threatened with relegation, had to admit defeat at FSV Mainz 05 after a disappointing performance 0-1 (0-1) and set a negative club record with the 13th Bundesliga game in a row without a three-pointer. In his 100th Bundesliga game, Mainz’s Leandro Barreiro (33rd) continued the worrying TSG slide. Matarazzo’s record is also frightening: In his fourth TSG game, it was the fourth bankruptcy. Mainz, on the other hand, celebrated their fourth win in a row.
The unsettled guests clearly showed their will, but TSG found it difficult to get into the game in terms of play. In addition, Hoffenheim came under increasing pressure after a messed-up start against Mainz, who were strong at home. The club of majority owner Dietmar Hopp was primarily challenged defensively, offensively – nothing. FSV coach Bo Svensson was absent this week due to illness, but he was satisfied when he returned to the sidelines. Although Ludovic Ajorque (24th) initially missed the best chance, Barreiro scored a little later after a corner in the follow-up – and rewarded Mainz against disappointing Hoffenheim.
Matarazzo brought on Sebastian Rudy in the second half, but TSG shook defensively after the break. Dennis Geiger’s long-range shot (50′) caused the Kraichgau team to pose a threat for the first time, but there was initially no reaction to the weak first round.
Mainz continued to act more purposefully, but Marcus Ingvartsen’s second goal didn’t count due to an offside position (60′). But they failed to extend the lead. TSG only fought back against the deficit in the final phase, the substitutions of Ihlas Bebou and Munas Dabbur brought some momentum again.
VfL Bochum – FC Schalke 04 0: 2 (0: 1)
In his old living room, Thomas Reis has handed over the red lantern of the bottom of the table to his former club VfL Bochum with Schalke 04. The Royal Blues prevailed 2-0 (1-0) in the tram derby in the Ruhr Stadium and left 18th place for the first time since the end of October. After six games in a row without defeat, the Gelsenkircheners have not only caught up with their neighbors, but also with the other competitors in the relegation battle under their new coach.
Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann gave Schalke the lead with a curious own goal (45th), Marius Bülter (79th) followed suit – at VfL the crisis is getting worse: After the fifth competitive game defeat in a row, Bochum is last for the first time in four and a half months. For the Royal Blues, the longest negative series in the Bundesliga ended with the first away win since November 2019 – after 38 games.
The unflattering banner of the Bochum fans.
(Photo: IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel)
As expected, the reception for rice was unfriendly. “If you’re not a dishonorable bastard, then who?”, emblazoned on a banner in the east curve – alluding to his saying shortly before the dismissal: “If I’m not a Bochumer, then who?” To this day, VfL fans have not forgiven him for the change shortly after he was kicked out after the 3-1 defeat in the first leg at Schalke.
Reis, in a light-colored hooded sweatshirt with a large S04 emblem on the edge of the field, experienced a moment of shock right from the start: Philipp Hofmann shot the ball freely over the Schalke goal from five yards (7′). Bochum tried to use their pace on the wings. The first Bundesliga derby between the two neighbors in the Ruhr Stadium in over 13 years was characterized by many duels and fouls, but little technical finesse. The ball landed on the stadium roof rather than in the goal. VfL played more purposefully, Christopher Antwi-Adjei failed to keeper Ralf Fährmann (21st), as did Takuma Asano (43rd).
Most of the time, however, both teams tried long shots on their center forwards and fought for the second balls. Significant: Schalke’s opening goal was a gift from Bochum. After a cross from Rodrigo Zalazar, Riemann maneuvered the ball over the line. After the change of sides, Schalke took over the command. The Bochum fans shouted in frustration: “We want to see you fight!” But Bülter made the guests cheer.
FC Augsburg – Werder Bremen 2: 1 (1: 1)
After a lively exchange of blows, FC Augsburg moved a little further away from the relegation zone. In the eventful and respectable 2:1 (1:1) against Werder Bremen, Dion Beljo (5th) and Arne Maier (46th) secured the team of coach Enrico Maaßen their fourth home win in a row. Jens Stage (16th) had equalized for the guests in a game with many defensive problems on both sides.
The first half was particularly entertaining. Before Augsburg took the lead, Rafal Gikiewicz had already made a great save from Niclas Füllkrug’s shot (3′). Beljo, who came from the Croatian club NK Osijek in the winter, quickly defeated Marco Friedl after excellent preliminary work by Robert Gumny. And it went on merrily. Gikiewicz made a great save after a hair-raising miss from Renato Veiga into the legs of Romano Schmid (10′), but looked bad just a few moments later when equalizing. He and Gumny disagreed on a cross from Leonardo Bittencourt, Stage headed in. Bremen had more of the game in this phase, but could not follow suit.
Goal for Augsburg.
(Photo: IMAGO/Eibner)
Augsburg coach Maaßen reacted to the defensive problems: He took Veiga von Feld (34th), who was loaned out by Sporting Lisbon in the winter, and that actually helped to create a little more stability. But Bremen made a mistake again: After Christian Groß lost the ball in his own penalty area, goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka saved against Ermedin Demirovic (38), but shortly afterwards Werder’s goalkeeper shot the shooter with almost serious consequences.
After the (breather) break Werder could not avoid the renewed deficit. Maier needed 37 seconds after the restart to complete Demirovic’s assist. The game became more and more disorganized after that, and the frequency of good chances decreased. Bremer pushed for the equaliser, but met deep Augsburgers who were waiting for a counterattack.
Borussia Monchengladbach – SC Freiburg 0:0
Before the game of the year, SC Freiburg missed out on a place in the Champions League. Coach Christian Streich’s team had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach five days before the first leg of the round of 16 in the Europa League at Juventus Turin and remain in fifth place. The Gladbachers, who were outnumbered after being sent off against Ramy Bensebaini (87th), are still in the middle of the table.
In front of 53,014 fans in Borussia-Park, the guests fired the first shot on goal through Roland Sallai (4th), goalkeeper Tobias Sippel had no problems. The real number three of the Gladbacher was in the box, since the first goalkeeper Jonas Omlin (strain) and substitute keeper Jan Olschowsky (stomach flu) were missing. As a result, Gladbach took over control of the game against Freiburg, who were standing deep. Marcus Thuram (8th) and Alassane Plea (18th) found their match in SC keeper Mark Flekken.
The five-time German champions also had a lot of ball possession afterwards, but there was a lack of brilliant ideas. Thuram had a hard time with high balls against ex-Gladbacher Matthias Ginter, captain Lars Stindl also lost some balls in promising positions. Almost nothing came from Freiburg in the first half. The passivity was almost punished. SC striker Lucas Höler cleared a header from Bensebaini on his own line (36′).
Freiburg came out of the break with more momentum. Sallai forced Sippel to do a brilliant job (49′). The hosts seemed surprised by the brisk appearance of Freiburg and lost their line a bit. The conspicuous Sallai (56th) recorded the next SC degree. On the other hand, Plea (64th) missed. After a duel between Freiburg’s Nicolas Höfler and Thuram, referee Benjamin Brand initially decided on a penalty for Gladbach, but rightly took it back again according to the TV pictures (65th). Both teams played for victory in the hectic final phase. Plea miserably missed (74th).