Two ÖFB legionnaires entered the scorer list in the 21st round. With his fifth goal of the season, Michael Gregoritsch laid the foundation for Augsburg’s important 2-0 home win over Union Berlin in the relegation battle. Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic came back in the fourth game after a long injury break with the first goal of the season, but was unable to prevent the 2-3 defeat against Oliver Glasner’s Frankfurter.
However, coach Adi Hütter is still in trouble with Borussia Mönchengladbach. After a 1-1 draw at Arminia Bielefeld, Stefan Lainer’s team (played through) are only two points ahead of the relegation zone, which VfL Wolfsburg can leave on Sunday. Augsburg is one point ahead of Wolfsburg in between. The situation in Stuttgart, which is still in 17th place, remains precarious.
An own goal decides in Munich
In front of 10,000 fans, Munich benefited early on from a Leipzig mistake when playing out, Thomas Müller shot away from five meters after a Gulacsi defense (12th). The equalizer came quickly through Andre Silva (27th) after preliminary work by Laimer. While the hosts were unlucky with a Coman bar lift (34th), it was Robert Lewandowski (44th), who headed in again after a Coman cross.
After the break, Leipzig was able to hit back again. Laimer captured the ball and played well into the run for Christopher Nkunku, who defeated Manuel Neuer (53′). For the first time, the ÖFB team player has two assists in the Bundesliga. “It would have been more inside. We’re going home with zero points, that hurts,” said Laimer.
Whenever it was necessary, Salzburg’s Champions League round of 16 opponents from Munich gave the right answer. A cross from Serge Gnabry was unfortunately deflected into his own net by Josko Gvardiol (58′). This sealed the eighth win in the last nine rounds, the third in a row. A series of three wins in a row ended for Leipzig, who were in seventh place. “Both teams showed a good, attractive game. All in all, I would say that we deserved to win,” said Müller.
Meet Gregoritsch and Kalajdzic
At Augsburg, Gregoritsch benefited in the 16th minute from the far too risky game opening by Union goalie Andreas Luthe, the intercepted ball rebounded to the Styrian, who shot calmly from ten meters and underlined his good current form. The 27-year-old has scored all of his goals in the last nine games. Andre Hahn (59th) closed the sack, Union missed it with captain Christopher Trimmel, at least until Sunday to advance past Leverkusen in third place.
Kalajdzic headed in in the 70th minute, but it wasn’t to stay at 2-2. Ajdin Hrustic, who had already made it 2-1 (47th), scored seven minutes after the Viennese for a new lead, which finally endured. Frankfurt, where Martin Hinteregger and Stefan Ilsanker only came on in the final minutes, took their first win in 2021 and, in ninth place, remain close to the European Cup ranks.
Cologne celebrates against Freiburg
1. FC Köln is sixth, only two points behind the Berliners. With Florian Kainz (until 85th), Dejan Ljubicic (until 77th) and Louis Schaub (from 85th) they kept the upper hand against Freiburg by Philipp Lienhart 1-0. Striker Anthony Modeste once again made the decision with his 14th goal of the season (23rd). Fifth-placed Freiburg didn’t get anywhere either.
Hütter could not be dissatisfied with the 1-1 draw at Bielefeld in the first game after the fuss about manager Max Eberl’s withdrawal. Alassane Plea’s goal seven minutes before the break was not announced. Only after the restart did the guests get stronger, but it wasn’t enough. Patrick Wimmer played through for Arminia, Alessandro Schöpf (63rd) and Manuel Prietl (87th) came on as substitutes.
Mainz and Karim Onisiwo put another damper on Hoffenheim’s international ambitions with a 2-0 home win. On the winner’s side, Kevin Stöger was traded in the final (87th), Stefan Posch (up to 63rd), Christoph Baumgartner and Florian Grillitsch (both from 62nd) worked for Hoffenheim.
German Bundesliga, 21st round
Saturday:
Bayern – Leipzig 3: 2 (2: 1)
Goals: Müller (12′), Lewandowski (44′), Gvardiol (58’/own goal) and Silva (27′), Nkunku (53′)
Bayern: Sabitzer from the 84th minute
Leipzig: Laimer up to the 61st
Bielefeld – Mönchengladbach 1: 1 (1: 1)
Tore: Serra (19.) bzw. Plea (38.)
Bielefeld: Wimmer played through, Schöpf from the 62nd minute, Prietl from the 87th minute.
Mönchengladbach: Lainer played through
Stuttgart – Frankfurt 2: 3 (1: 1)
Tore: Anton (42.), Kalajdzic (70.) bzw. N’Dicka (7.), Hrustic (47., 77.)
Stuttgart: Kalajdzic played through
Frankfurt: Hinteregger from the 83rd, Ilsanker from the 87th
Cologne – Freiburg 1: 0 (1: 0)
Tor: Modeste (23.)
Cologne: Ljubicic up to the 77th, Kainz up to the 85th, Schaub from the 85th
Freiburg: Lienhart played through
Augsburg – Union Berlin 2: 0 (1: 0)
Goals: Gregoritsch (16th), Hahn (59th)
Augsburg: Gregoritsch played through
Berlin: Trimmel played through
Mainz 2-0 Hoffenheim (0-0)
Tore: Lee (79.), Niakhate (83.)
Mainz: Onisiwo up to the 87th, Stöger from the 89th, Nemeth on the bench
Hoffenheim: Posch up to the 63rd, Grillitsch and Baumgartner from the 62nd, Haider on the bench
Friday:
Hertha BSC – Bochum 1: 1 (1: 0)
Goals: Belfodil (23′) and Polter (48′)
Sunday:
Dortmund – Leverkusen 3.30 p.m
Wolfsburg – Greuther Fürth 5.30 p.m
