Union Berlin continues to dream of Europe thanks to Max Kruse. Leipzig, on the other hand, is moving further and further away from international business. Adi Hütter and Gladbach miss the break at the last minute. The matchday at a glance.
ADespite expressions of displeasure, criticism and hostility, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s manager Max Eberl has tried in the past few days to protect Adi Hütter as much as possible. The worryingly smoldering debate about the hapless coach should not fully ignite, and the troubled team should calm down a little.
That only paid off in part. Gladbach only achieved a hard-fought 1-1 (1-0) at 1899 Hoffenheim, and gambled away the victory shortly before the end of the game. After four defeats in a row, however, it was at least one point gain again.
Hütter made a total of five changes compared to the defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt (2: 3). In addition to the veterans Kramer and Stindl, Herrmann, Lainer and Thuram also moved into the starting line-up. As a result, the starting line-up was on average 27.7 years old, making it the oldest this season.
The world was still in order: Breel Embolo met after a corner for the Gladbach leadership
Source: dpa / Uwe Anspach
It was difficult, Hoffenheim was much more agile and noticeably more self-confident. But the Gladbachers made the goal. Embolo had sneaked into the back of the Hoffenheim defensive row and scored after a Herrmann corner (35th). A boon for the battered Gladbach soul, without a doubt.
No goal against at break, after 17 in four games, brought some security back into her game. The times when things got tough, the Gladbachers could rely on goalkeeper Sommer.
But even he had to admit defeat in stoppage time. Hoffenheim’s pressure (60 percent possession, 15: 3 corners) was great, Akpoguma gave his team the well-deserved draw.
Eintracht Frankfurt – Mainz 05 1: 0 (1: 0)
The end of the football year had another nice game in store: the Rhein-Main derby between Eintracht Frankfurt and FSV Mainz 05. In the end, the home side continued their impressive soaring, won the third game in a row and are now allowed on a European cup ” overwinter “.
The Danish approach Jesper Lindström (35.) met after fine preparatory work by storm colleague Rafael Borré to 1-0. For him it was the fourth goal in the first division, a particularly important one at that: Despite a few good opportunities, for example through Jonathan Burkardt (47th) or Anton Stach (80th), Mainz couldn’t counter the goal of the day. While the guests stayed at 24 points after the first half of the season, Eintracht increased their account to 27 points.
RB Leipzig – Arminia Bielefeld 0: 2 (0: 0)
Corona alarm in the table penultimate Arminia Bielefeld: Instead of going to the Red Bull Arena, regular goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and captain Manuel Prietl went into quarantine at home. Without the two most important players – you probably wouldn’t have had to play against a Leipzig in the form of previous years. But Leipzig in normal form no longer exists, and the passionate Bielefeld team fought coolly for a strong 2-0 win against the Champions League aspirants, in the end even outnumbered.
The young Bielefeld team pressed high in front of empty stands and did not lose a ball. In the first 30 minutes, Leipzig only got three shots on goal. Mini excitement shortly before the break: Goal for Arminia by Masaya Okugawa. But offside.
Then the events rolled over: 1-0 Bielefeld by Janni Serra (57th minute) after a ricochet from Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulasci. Then red for the recently substituted Arminen striker Fabian Klos (70th) after a foul on Willi Orban. In the 75th, Okugawa made everything clear with the 2-0 for Arminia. With the win, his team now has the lower midfield in view.
VfL Bochum – Union Berlin 0: 1 (0: 1)
Despite a difficult triple burden – Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Conference League – 1. FC Union completed a respectable first half of the season in its third Bundesliga season. The Berliners won 1-0 (1-0) at VfL Bochum and are in sixth place with 27 points before the winter break.
Two days after his wedding, Max Kruse made Union 1-0 in the 16th minute. The 33-year-old met directly. The guests failed to refill afterwards. Bochum, on the other hand, found it difficult to advance. Shortly before the end, Milos Pantovic only hit the crossbar for VfL.
Greuther Fürth – FC Augsburg 0-0
With a point gain, climber Greuther Fürth said goodbye to the winter break. After the 0-0 win against FC Augsburg, however, twelve points separate the bottom of the table from the relegation place.
In the first half, a broken goal net that was glued was the highlight. After the break, things didn’t go any better. Manager Rachid Azzouzi on “Sky” left it open whether Fürth will get a new goalkeeper in Loris Karius (Liverpool FC). There is a need, because with Sascha Burchert (32), the club currently has only one experienced goalkeeper available.
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