Dhe FC Bayern can lose. That is of course the news of the game day. Everything about Augsburg’s 2-1 win in Munich and the end of Bavaria’s goal of playing an undefeated Xabi Alonso season can be found here. All other results and the Bundesliga table can be found here. But there was also a lot going on in the Bundesliga on Saturday beyond the FCA coup.
Avoided Eintracht Frankfurt finally the hat trick?
No. In the fifth game in a row, the opponent scored three goals against Eintracht: Dortmund, Stuttgart, Bremen, Agdam, now Hoffenheim had no problems with the “defensive” of the Hesse team. Coach Dino Toppmöller, who was fired during this series, can console himself with the fact that at least his interim successor Dennis Schmitt did not find a quick solution to the problem. This is slowly becoming embarrassing and problematic for Eintracht. The Champions League places are rapidly disappearing – and Hoffenheim is once again underlining their claim to one with this appearance in the Waldstadion.
The day started well from Eintracht’s point of view: Arnaud Kalimuendo, on loan from Nottingham in the winter, sprinted past a nice lob from Can Uzun and took the lead after 18 minutes. Hoffenheim then had a great chance to equalize twice, but goalkeeper Kaua Santos, who had been much criticized recently, was there twice, once against Fisnik Asllani’s shot (39′), once against Wouter Burger’s header (45’+1).
:Augsburg ends Bayern’s unbeaten season
FC Bayern cannot imitate Bayer Leverkusen and become undefeated champions: FC Augsburg turns the game around in Munich and surprisingly wins 2-1.
The Dutchman Burger, who has been in outstanding form for weeks, prepared the equalizer immediately after the break. His precise cross found the head of Max Moerstedt, a German junior national striker with guard height (1.94 meters): he scored his first Bundesliga goal. Burger was also credited with the assist on TSG’s second goal, this time Ozan Kabak headed it in. And to further illustrate Frankfurt’s defensive misery, Aurele Amenda deflected a cross from Vladimir Coufal into his own net.
Whichever coach takes over Frankfurt will face a defense that has been traumatized by itself. There have been easier tasks in the Bundesliga.
Which coach will the Werder Bremen curse hit next?
Speaking of new coaches: Four of the six coaching changes in the current Bundesliga season took place after games against Bremen. Erik ten Hag (Leverkusen), Gerardo Seoane (Gladbach), Paul Simonis (Wolfsburg) and most recently Toppmöller had to leave immediately after a game against Werder. On the one hand, in the malicious part of the football environment, this leads to the joke that there are consequences if you don’t even beat this rarely convincing Bremen team. On the other hand, who will be the fifth victim of the Werder curse? Or?
Well, the target of the mockery this time is Bremen’s own coach Horst Steffen, who completed his ninth winless game in a row against Leverkusen. Because, of course, Steffen would have to leave after a Werder game if the worst came to the worst. And Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand has just had to go through the first small valley of his term in office, but he is not about to be replaced. Especially not after Saturday’s 1-0 win, which Lucas Vazquez secured with his first goal for Leverkusen.
Is the Urs Fischer effect already over?
Like FC Augsburg, FSV Mainz 05 has had an aura of irrelegability over its years in the first division. And when the pragmatic and esteemed Urs Fischer took over as coach, the prognosis was clear: now the usual race to catch up begins. And that’s how it seemed to happen. The Swiss didn’t lose any of his first six games, only last week the game was overturned 1-2 in Cologne after taking a 1-0 lead, but the performance was right. And this time too, a lot was right against Wolfsburg, twelve shots on goal in the first half alone, only the result wasn’t right. First.
After Mohamed Amoura, who returned from the Africa Cup, scored 1-0 for VfL with a backheel, Mainz already had every chance of getting back into the game. But first Philipp Tietz, who came from Augsburg in the winter, missed a (flatteringly whistled) penalty, and before the break Benedict Hollerbach missed for Mainz from five meters. But in the second half, FSV took advantage of their opportunities. Tietz made amends for his missed shot, Hollerbach passed on Stefan Bell and Nadiem Amiri converted a penalty that, after the whistle, could once again be discussed about the law and justice in handball. Dzenan Pejcinovic had a cross fall on his hand, he could hardly prevent the contact, but according to the rules it is a punishable offense. There was no doubt about the legitimacy of Mainz’s 3-1 win – and about the Urs Fischer effect.
And Heidenheim?
With minus two degrees on the Ostalb, Leipzig had a hard time getting into the game, but who wouldn’t under these conditions? The 3-0 still reflected the balance of power, especially in the second half. Heidenheim remains true to himself in that the fighting performance was right. Whether that will ultimately be enough to stay in the class remains to be seen against opponents other than RB.
