“Don’t know what the player thinks” – Hertha gives away the rescue
For a long time it looked like Hertha BSC would make the league perfect in Bielefeld. But then an unbelievable scene occurs. Arminia scores, and Stuttgart also equalizes against Wolfsburg. Bayern and BVB make a fool of themselves.
Hertha BSC seemed as good as saved. The Berliners were leading 1-0 at Arminia Bielefeld and were aiming for their third win in a row when Wollschläger ran alone towards the opposing goalkeeper and put the ball across to Mittelstädt. But he refused the shot on goal and put the ball back again, which Wollschläger didn’t expect. Three minutes later, Arminia equalized through Nilsson and saved a 1-1 (0-0).
“I had to smile,” said Felix Magath. “I don’t know what the player is thinking at the moment, he probably wanted to say thank you for the nice pass.” The Hertha coach had been chosen as the savior just a few weeks ago and had said shortly before the game: “We have become a team. I’m confident that we’ll reach our goal.”
Felix Magath must continue to tremble with his Hertha
Source: dpa/Friso Gentsch
Magath should see himself confirmed for a long time. Again, the Berliners ran a lot, were compact and defensively allowed little. They were the better team for long stretches in a heated game. Bielefeld only came on after the break, but missed a big chance through Castro (51′). Four minutes later, Tousart headed in from a corner.
VfB Stuttgart – VfL Wolfsburg 1:1
With a 1:1 (1:0) against VfL Wolfsburg, VfB Stuttgart has secured the theoretical chance of staying up in the league. The Stuttgarters benefited from the Hertha draw in Bielefeld.
Stuttgart started fighting, but Wolfsburg defender Brooks scored the 1-0 lead (13th minute) with a header from a corner by Arnolds. It was the US international’s first Bundesliga goal in 15 months. Stuttgart was then largely at a loss, hardly any of the following shots were really dangerous. In the 89th minute, Führich managed to score the unexpected equaliser.
Borussia Dortmund – VfL Bochum 3: 4
VfL Bochum could celebrate. With the 4: 3 (2: 2) at Borussia Dortmund, the promoted team secured early relegation on their own.
Bochum could also have relied on Stuttgart’s Schützenhilfe, and the Swabians’ draw against Wolfsburg would have saved them without their own doing. But VfL started out furiously themselves. First with Polter’s goal (3rd), then with Holtmann’s 2-0 (8th). But Dortmund was able to equalize after two handballs and two converted penalties from Haaland (19th/30th). He set a league record with the 60th goal in 65 games. Nobody has ever managed to do that so quickly.
He also increased the lead to 3:2 (62nd) in the second period. But Locadia (81st) and Pantovic with a hand penalty (86). turned the game again.
Main 05 – Bayern Munich 3:1
Finally from the beginning. Sven Ulreich, Marcel Sabitzer and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting must have thought so. Because FC Bayern has been the German champions for a week and Thomas Müller was absent with a cold, coach Julian Nagelsmann called the substitutes into his starting XI for the game at 1. FSV Mainz 05.
In Mainz, the Munich team initially hardly achieved anything with the unfamiliar starting eleven, the Mainz team played courageously forward. After a liberating Ulreich they react quickly, Jonathan Burkardt scored the 1:0 (18th). Bayern were very vulnerable defensively, after a free kick FSV captain Moussa Niakhaté, who was being courted by top European clubs, headed the 2-0 (27th).
Nagelsmann’s team has now increased at least briefly. Star striker Robert Lewandowski scored the 2-1 (33rd) after Choupo-Moting’s preliminary work. It was Lewandowski’s 18th away goal this season – surpassing Jupp Heynckes and Timo Werner to set a league record. It is unclear whether he will extend his contract, which ends in 2023. A move to FC Barcelona in the summer seems to be an option for the Pole. Mainz were also better in the second half, Leandro Barreiro scored to make it 3-1 (57th).
FC Augsburg – 1. FC Cologne 1:4
1. FC Köln underpinned its ambitions of playing internationally next season with a 4-1 (2-0) win in Augsburg. Augsburg secured relegation despite the defeat, since Stuttgart lost at the same time.
Cologne started furiously and took the lead through Thielmann, who shot in from ten meters from the right (12th minute). A short time later, Thielmann extended a throw-in with his head and Uth scored with a volley to make it 2-0 (15th). With his 18th goal of the season, Modeste increased the lead to 3:0 (63rd) with a penalty kick and after Florian Niederlechner’s goal in the meantime made it 4:1. Cologne can now even dream of the Champions League.
