Borchestra Dortmund once again graces the main stage.
Borussia Dortmund Endures Yet Another Disappointing Away Outing, Suffers a 2:1 Loss Against FC Augsburg. Despite an Early Lead, Poor Performance Seals Their Fate.
FC Augsburg - Borussia Dortmund 2:1 (1:1)
Home victories, away defeats: Borussia Dortmund once more underperformed in the Bundesliga's fourth away game of the season, resulting in a 1:2 (1:1) setback against FC Augsburg due to a lackluster performance. Their chances of claiming the top spot are diminishing, as they approach their cup game against VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
Donyell Malen (4.) fired Dortmund, who had only earned one point away so far, into an early lead. Alexis Claude-Maurice levelled the score before 30,660 spectators in the 25th minute. The Frenchman then turned the tide in their favor in the 50th minute. Augsburg, who will face the second-division Schalke 04 on Tuesday, secured crucial points to distance themselves from the relegation zone. Dortmund has been winless in away games for over six months, with debutant Almugera Kabar receiving a late yellow-red card (90.+9). Furthermore, the team experiences new injuries, as Waldemar Anton and Julian Ryerson were forced out of the game.
Sahin had previously defended his team amidst recent criticism. "We'll navigate this struggle together, and I won't blame my players for failure," he emphasized, declaring his unwavering support for his squad. He decided to start Anton for the injured Niklas Süle and stuck to his squad that had begun strongly against the Royal Blues, maintaining a 2:0 lead, before Sahin's substitutions led to a collapse. "As a coach, I should learn from my decisions. I probably wouldn't make the same changes again," Sahin acknowledged prior to the game.
Dortmund started aggressively. Malen scored after a beautiful move with Serhou Guirassy. Dortmund enjoyed more possession afterwards but displayed a lack of steadiness. Meanwhile, Dortmund displayed signs of instability, allowing Claude-Maurice to take advantage and equalize, who barely faced any challenge while advancing through the midfield. Dortmund remained dominant but lacked efficiency. Sahin responded by bringing on Pascal Groß and Emre Can at half-time. However, Can's costly mistake lead to Claude-Maurice's second goal with a poor defensive action. Shortly afterwards, Phillip Tietz sliced a 3:1 opportunity by mere centimeters. Dortmund struggled to regain control before embracing their comeback attempt in the game's final stages.
VfB Stuttgart - Holstein Kiel 2:1 (1:0)
Stuttgart performed exceptionally well in the Champions League and honored their commitment to the Bundesliga with utmost seriousness after their convincing 1:0 victory against Juventus Turin just three days prior. Sebastian Hoeneß's team maintained their unbeaten streak with a challenging yet successful 2:1 (1:0) encounter against promoted side Holstein Kiel. The dominant home team, who had yet to win a Bundesliga game, scored through Deniz Undav (19.) and El Bilal Toure (61.).
The final 25 minutes were played with eleven-man advantages for Stuttgart after Jeff Chabot was given his second yellow card (66'). The center back will consequently be suspended for the upcoming clash against champions Bayer Leverkusen, but Chabot's absence opened the door for Armin Gigovic to score a consolation goal (84'). Despite Chabot's sending off, Kiel still displayed a formidable presence, led by Arp, who also received a second yellow card (88'). The game's balance of power did not explicitly reflect the scoreline until Chabot's dismissal. Stuttgart dominated the ball and maintained possession, but failed to convert their opportunities, partly due to Kiel's goalkeeper Timon Weiner. Stuttgart occasionally threatened with counter-attacks but lacked a decisive edge.
Looking ahead to their upcoming cup game against second-tier side 1. FC Kaiserslautern (Tuesday, 8:45 PM/Sky), Hoeneß made a few adjustments: Anthony Rouault, Atakan Karazor, and Ermedin Demirovic were replaced by Anrie Chase, Fabian Rieder, and Toure. Chase and Toure played crucial roles in setting up Undav's goal, with the captain replacing Karazor to play the final ball.
Stuttgart commanded the game at home, playing with purpose and fluidity for large stretches, and had opportunities to further extend their lead through Angelo Stiller (44'), who played with a protective bandage on his right hand due to a finger fracture. Maximilian Mittelstädt made a last-ditch tackle to deny Benedikt Pichler (39') a potential equalizer. Stuttgart managed to maintain their advantage after Toure's 25-meter strike (63') and Kiel's late pressure, when they were down to ten men.
Leipzig climbed to the summit of the league standings despite some hurdles. In an elite encounter against the shock team Freiburg, managed by coach Marco Rose, Leipzig overturned a goal deficit to win 3-1 (0-1) and temporarily take control. Leipzig has now remained unbeaten in eight consecutive league matches. Captain Willi Orban (47'), Lutsharel Geertruida (58'), and Lois Openda (78') netted for Leipzig, while Ritsu Doan (15') scored for Freiburg. Leipzig's victory offset potential damage following their Champions League loss to Liverpool (0-1) earlier in the week, with standout player Xavi Simons expected to miss several weeks due to a hamstring injury.
Despite the missing presence of Xavi and David Raum, which Rose had addressed earlier, the team lacked the necessary individual skill that needed to be supplemented. In their place, Christoph Baumgartner took the field as a starter against Freiburg. Leipzig quickly established themselves as a threat. Only Benjamin Henrichs neglected the totally unmarked Antonio Nusa in the center of the penalty area, and Openda (9.)CKETED the ball OVER the bar. Apart from that, the hosts found it hard in the first half before 45,918 spectators, as Freiburg applied pressure in midfield and lurked for counterattacks through a compact defense. Junior Adamu (11.) nearly opened the scoring with a quick counterattack, but the striker missed just wide. Doan scored when Leipzig's defense was disorganized during Grifo's cross after a poorly defended ball.
Only towards the end of the first half did Leipzig find its offensive rhythm, but missed golden opportunities. First, Benjamin Sesko (36.) fluffed a one-on-one against SC goalkeeper Noah Atubolu following a deep pass from Nusa, and three minutes later, the goalkeeper also parried a header from the Slovenian. Leipzig had adapted to the closely-guarded Freiburg defense, but Atubolu also produced an amazing save on a header from Baumgartner (42.). After the break, Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was forced off the field with an injury, with Maarten Vandevoordt replacing him as a substitute - however, chaos ensued on the opposing team's side first. A second ball from a free kick eventually found its way to Henrichs, whose cross was inadvertently redirected into the net by Orban. Leipzig seemed relieved and surged forward, with Geertruida finishing off a swift attack past Baumgartner and Openda - then Openda also found the back of the net.**
FC St. Pauli - VfL Wolfsburg 0:0
No celebrations on the Reeperbahn once more: FC St. Pauli has yet to claim a home victory in this Bundesliga campaign. The promoted side picked up a point following a spirited but unfortunate performance in the 0-0 draw against VfL Wolfsburg, but their quest for the elusive home goal at the Millerntor Stadium continues.
St. Pauli remains in the relegation zone and now faces a crucial DFB-Pokal match against RB Leipzig on Tuesday - despite creating promising opportunities, their offense fails to produce a decisive finish. The ambitious Wolfsburg team settles for a mid-table position and prepares to face Borussia Dortmund in the cup.
"Our team has the potential, we just need to be a little more ruthless," St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessin stated before the game regarding the possibility of their first home win. And his team was indeed ambitious in front of 29,546 spectators, but things just wouldn't click in the offense at first. Precision or a cool head was frequently lacking in crucial moments, as manifested in a good chance for Johannes Eggestein and Danel Sinani (17.). Wolfsburg goalkeeper Kamil Grabara even made an exceptional save on a shot from captain Jackson Irvine (42.), and Eggestein hesitated too long in a promising position (58.).
Wolfsburg initially focused on defense, missing Maximilian Arnold (suspended) and Patrick Wimmer (sent off), in an attempt to stay strong - they eventually became a threat through counters and the speed of Mohammed Amoura. The game featured numerous periods of inactivity, during which St. Pauli fans used placards ("More Love, Less Kevin B") to protest against Kevin Behrens, who had recently made homophobic remarks and was booed upon his entrance.
After the break, Wolfsburg suddenly picked up the pace and created chances, but Amoura was denied twice (46', 47') by Nikola Vasilj in the St. Pauli net. The hosts fought back with determination and continued to press forward, leading to an engaging, if not high-quality, match.**
Despite Borussia Dortmund's focus on their cup game against VfL Wolfsburg, their away form continues to be a concern. The team has lost to FC Augsburg, marking six months without a win in away games. In contrast, FC St. Pauli, despite missing a home win, managed a 0:0 draw against VfL Wolfsburg, showcasing their resilience.
