VfB Stuttgart – RB Leipzig 5:2 (2:1)
VfB Stuttgart clearly won at home against RB Leipzig. Stuttgart won 5-2 and moved past RB into third place in the table. Coach Marco Rose’s Leipzig team also lost in the third game after the winter break. On Sunday, RB threatens to slip into fourth place. For Borussia Dortmund, just one point against VfL Bochum would be enough to move past.
In Stuttgart, the goals from Benjamin Šeško (32nd minute) and Loïs Openda (55th) were clearly not enough for the guests. Stuttgart’s Undav (30th/56th/75th) scored three times. Enzo Millot initiated the victory (25th/hand penalty). Jamie Leweling also scored (48th). The Swabians had previously lost all four Bundesliga games without Guirassy, currently at the Africa Cup. Now they have consolidated their place in the Champions League.
FC Augsburg – FC Bayern Munich 2:3 (0:2)
FC Bayern, in a personnel emergency, is keeping the pressure on leaders Bayer Leverkusen high in the championship race. After three groundbreaking decisions by the video referee, the Munich team won 3-2 and were able to celebrate a victory at FC Augsburg after two away defeats in a row. Joshua Kimmich’s midfield substitute Aleksandar Pavlović with his debut goal in the 23rd minute and Alphonso Davies (45th + 5) secured Thomas Tuchel’s newly formed team a half-time lead. In the sold-out Augsburg Arena, Harry Kane (58th) temporarily took the explosiveness out of the strange Bavarian duel with two penalties with his first goal of the new year and his 23rd of this Bundesliga season.
Augsburg’s captain Ermedin Demirović (52nd/90th + 4 penalty kicks) shortened the gap to Munich again with his ninth and tenth goals. Shortly before the end, national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (88th) saved a self-imposed penalty from Sven Michel, but was then powerless against Demirović. This means that Munich remains second and was able to reduce the gap to league leaders Leverkusen, who can, however, restore their four-point lead later in the game against Gladbach.
SV Werder Bremen – SC Freiburg 3:1 (1:1)
Six days after the surprise win against German champions Bayern Munich, Bremen celebrated a 3-1 (1-1) win against SC Freiburg and picked up more points in the fight to stay in the Bundesliga. The Freiburg team failed to continue their winning streak against Werder. The defeat was also a setback for coach Christian Streich’s team in the race for a European Cup place.
Marvin Ducksch (9th minute) gave the hosts the lead with a penalty kick in the sold-out Weserstadion. Before the break, Vincenzo Grifo (28th) also equalized for the guests with a penalty. In a strong second half, Bremen earned the victory with a 2-1 win from the outstanding Justin Njinmah (53′). Julián Malatini provided the emotional climax. The Argentinian newcomer scored the final score in stoppage time a few seconds after coming on as a substitute. Coach Ole Werner’s team has now been unbeaten in six games.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – 1. FC Heidenheim 1:1 (1:1)
1. FC Heidenheim has now been unbeaten for six games. Frank Schmidt’s team earned a deserved 1:1 (1:1) at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Eren Dinkçi (29th minute) scored first for the promoted team. Andrej Kramarić equalized with a hand penalty (45’+7) – the outsider didn’t allow anything more.
The Heidenheimers, in tenth place in the table, already have 23 points and are only two less than the European Cup aspirants from Hoffenheim, who have only won one of the last ten games. Head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team is still without a sense of success this year after defeats at FC Bayern and Freiburg and an often unimaginative home performance against Heidenheim.
VfL Wolfsburg – 1. FC Köln 1:1 (1:1)
1. FC Köln picked up an important away point in the relegation battle. Thanks to the 1:1 (1:1) at VfL Wolfsburg, the previous second-to-last in the table improved to the relegation place, at least for the time being. Faride Alidou gave FC the lead in the 38th minute. The American Kevin Paredes equalized just two minutes later (40th). As a result, both clubs remain winless in the new year.
What was strange was that a spectator came unexpectedly to his Bundesliga debut – as the fourth official. Former Wolfsburg young player Tobias Krull spoke up during the first half when the stadium announcer made a loudspeaker announcement looking for someone in the audience with a referee license. A replacement was sought for the fourth member of the referee team, who stands on the sideline between the two coaches.
In Friday’s game, Eintracht Frankfurt won 1-0 against FSV Mainz 05.
VfB Stuttgart clearly won at home against RB Leipzig. Stuttgart won 5-2 and moved past RB into third place in the table. Coach Marco Rose’s Leipzig team also lost in the third game after the winter break. On Sunday, RB threatens to slip into fourth place. For Borussia Dortmund, just one point against VfL Bochum would be enough to move past.
In Stuttgart, the goals from Benjamin Šeško (32nd minute) and Loïs Openda (55th) were clearly not enough for the guests. Stuttgart’s Undav (30th/56th/75th) scored three times. Enzo Millot initiated the victory (25th/hand penalty). Jamie Leweling also scored (48th). The Swabians had previously lost all four Bundesliga games without Guirassy, currently at the Africa Cup. Now they have consolidated their place in the Champions League.
