Union fans celebrate Urs Fischer and a small sense of achievement
Union Berlin part ways with coach Urs Fischer during the international break. The fans thank the Swiss with emotional messages in the first game after the exit. There is a small sense of achievement on the pitch. Bayer Leverkusen's run of success continues.
1st FC Union Berlin - FC Augsburg 1:1 (0:1)
In an emotional game one under Urs Fischer, Union Berlin put an end to their bitter run of Bundesliga defeats. On the debut of interim coach Marco Grote and his assistant Marie-Louise Eta, the first female coach in a Bundesliga match, the Köpenickers fought out a 1-1 (0-1) draw against FC Augsburg. For Union, who remain in a relegation place, it was their first point after nine league defeats in a row.
After successful coach Fischer and Union had parted company the previous week after five such successful years in order to turn the relegated club around, the draw offered a glimmer of hope in the fight to stay up. Kevin Volland (88') gave Union a chance to celebrate after Robin Knoche (58') had missed a penalty for the home side, who had not won in 15 competitive matches, following a video review. Ermedin Demirovic (39', penalty) had previously given Augsburg the lead.
Despite the small success, the pressure on the Union side remains high - and the schedule is tough. First they face Sporting Braga in the Champions League on Wednesday (9pm/DAZN and in the live ticker at ntv.de), where Berlin are only concerned with qualifying for the Europa League, and three days later they play at champions Bayern Munich. Before Grote and Eta embarked on their mission for a fresh start against Augsburg, the Union fans thanked Fischer and his assistant coach Markus Hoffmann. "You have made dreams come true that we never really had," was written under a likeness of the coaching team on the Forest page.
After looking back, Union had to somehow find their way back to the present. President Dirk Zingler warned on Sky that Grote and Eta "should not be overloaded with expectations, but it will be a tough road". Although the transitional coaches had to do without the injured Leonardo Bonucci and Sheraldo Becker, they nevertheless opted for an attacking formation with Kevin Volland, David Fofana and Kevin Behrens up front. Union immediately looked more dangerous than in many of their previous appearances. After a cross from international Robin Gosens, Behrens (10) beat Augsburg's Felix Uduokhai in the penalty area before failing to beat goalkeeper Finn Dahmen in a one-on-one. The hosts, for whom Behrens (27) again headed just wide of the goal, played bravely in this phase.
However, bad luck soon caught up with them again. When Gosens cleared an Augsburg attack on the edge of the penalty area with a hard tackle on Arne Engels, referee Florian Badstübner saw a foul and, after viewing the video footage, pointed to the spot. The Alte Försterei was boiling - but Demirovic easily slotted the penalty over the line at the bottom right. Shortly before the break, Fofana (45-44) had the equalizer on his feet, but Dahmen made a strong save.
The game remained heated after the break, with Union investing a lot in the equalizer. However, Dahmen stood in the way time and again. First the Dane saved a penalty from Knoche after a foul on Christiopher Trimmel, then Fofana (62) was unable to get past the brilliant goalkeeper. The goals just wouldn't come - or count - in this phase. Before Gosens (64) headed the ball into the goal, the full-back was offside. In the end, however, Volland made the Försterei tremble.
Werder Bremen - Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0:3 (0:2)
Three points on the Weser and a return to the top of the table: Bayer Leverkusen gave their coach Xabi Alonso a perfect 42nd birthday. The Rhinelanders won confidently 3:0 (2:0) at Werder Bremen and maintained their invincibility this season with their 13th consecutive competitive win. An own goal from Olivier Deman (9') put Bayer on the road to victory early on. Jeremie Frimpong (43) and Alejandro Grimaldo (76) converted Leverkusen's superiority into further goals - and incidentally set a new record: never before has a team started with at least two goals per game on the first twelve match days.
More importantly for Alonso, however, Leverkusen's well-deserved victory saw them overtake Bayern Munich (1-0 in Cologne) at the top after one night. The Werkself's lead is still two points. Werder, on the other hand, remained winless for the third time in a row. Coach Ole Werner's team have eleven points after twelve games. Alonso said before the game that he expected "a good structure and a clear idea" from Bremen. Nevertheless, according to the Spaniard, "only the three points" counted on his day of honor. Leverkusen in particular showed structure and a clear idea on Saturday afternoon.
In front of 42,100 spectators in the sold-out Weser Stadium, the Werkself were once again perfectly set up by Alonso and set the pace and rhythm of the game from the outset. With enormous composure and ball security, the front-runners never really allowed Bremen to develop and made pinpricks forward, seemingly at will. The ball found the net for the first time after just six minutes. After a fine through pass, Victor Boniface rounded Werder keeper Michael Zetterer and slotted home, but was offside. Three minutes later, Bayer took the lead. However, a harmless half-field cross from Jonas Hofmann fell to the feet of Deman, whose highly unfortunate attempt to clear the ball ended up in his own goal. Leverkusen went on to control the ball and their opponents without shining.
And the green and white? Bremen, who started with the same formation for the fourth time in a row, showed their willingness, but did not create any notable chances in the entire first half. Instead, Leverkusen went one better shortly before the break. Frimpong made it 2-0 with a volley from a half-right position after a pass from Hincapie. The picture was initially the same in the second half. However, as Bayer mainly managed the game, Werder became more courageous - and were unlucky. A supposed goal by international Marvin Ducksch was disallowed. Romano Schmid had been very slightly offside when he scored (62'). Grimaldo then scored the final goal. Justin Njinmah (86) had Bremen's consolation goal on target, but the substitute striker only hit the crossbar with his powerful shot.
VfL Wolfsburg - RB Leipzig 2:1 (1:0)
Another setback at their new opponents: RB Leipzig stumbled again against VfL Wolfsburg and are increasingly losing touch with the top of the table. Three and a half weeks after the second-round defeat in the DFB Cup, coach Marco Rose's team also lost 2-1 (0-1) to the Wolves in the Bundesliga - despite having the upper hand. Top striker Jonas Wind (9') scored his ninth goal of the season for the lucky VfL, for whom the Brazilian Rogerio also scored for the first time (66') - Yussuf Poulsen scored the equalizer for RB after 52 minutes. The victory gave Wolfsburg a long-awaited shot in the arm. After five league games without a win, coach Niko Kovac, who has recently come under increasing criticism, was finally able to celebrate again.
"We have the chance to do better and differently on Saturday," RB coach Rose had said before the game, alluding to the 1-0 cup defeat at the same venue. However, his team got off to a sluggish start. First, David Raum's disastrous pass allowed his opponents to create the first good chance through Mattias Svanberg, and a little later another slip-up allowed Wolfsburg to take the lead. Attacker Wind pushed a header towards the RB goal in a semi-dangerous manner. However, Janis Blaswich, who was called up for the national team for the first time last week and had made a strong save against Svanberg, let the ball slip through his fingers and behind the line.
Without the injured Timo Werner (adductor), Leipzig were looking for a quick response in the 250th Bundesliga match in their club's history - the bustling Lois Openda failed to beat Koen Casteels from an acute angle (17'), as did Poulsen with a header three minutes later. The now dominant visitors increasingly pressed VfL into their own half with fast combination soccer, but the strong Casteels kept a clean sheet until the break despite further RB chances - also because referee Robert Hartmann rightly rescinded a foul penalty after viewing the video footage and showed Openda a yellow card for a swallow.
In the second half, Leipzig were finally rewarded for their attacking spirit. Openda set up Poulsen, who slotted home the equalizer on his debut as RB captain. In what was now a heated game, Leipzig remained on the visiting pedal, but it was the hosts who scored, with captain Maximilian Arnold again only coming on as a substitute in the closing stages. Out of nothing, VfL combined nicely up front, where Rogerio finished off Wind's assist with a powerful shot into the right corner.
SC Freiburg - SV Darmstadt 98 1:1 (1:1)
Darmstadt 98 earned a surprise away point in their battle to stay in the Bundesliga. The promoted team earned a 1-1 (1-1) draw at SC Freiburg on matchday 12 on the return of coach Torsten Lieberknecht. Nevertheless, the Lilies have not won in five games (two draws, three defeats). Mathias Honsak (18) was successful for Darmstadt. Lucas Höler (35) scored for the struggling Freiburg side, who have picked up just two points from their last four matches.
Lieberknecht was back on the touchline in Freiburg. The coach had missed the previous home game against FSV Mainz 05 (0:0) in order to be able to look after his wife Simone, who had suffered a stroke. Lieberknecht returned to the training pitch on Monday after a two-week break. "My wife has been a huge support for me for years. She was planning to watch the game with the children on the coach," said Lieberknecht on Sky shortly before kick-off: "If it gets too much, she'd better go for a walk with the dog."
The 34,300 spectators in Freiburg's stadium had to make do with meagre fare in the opening stages. Darmstadt goalkeeper Alexander Brunst-Zöllner had little to do on his first league debut. The 28-year-old deputized for injured regular keeper Marcel Schuhen. In addition to Schuhen, the Hessians were missing the suspended Christoph Klarer. The hosts, who face Olympiakos Piraeus in the Europa League on Thursday, were without numerous injured regulars such as captain Christian Günter and Roland Sallai. Vincenzo Grifo created some danger for the first time with a free-kick in the 12th minute.
Shortly afterwards, Darmstadt made the most of their first chance to take the lead. Austrian Honsak's shot was deflected unstoppably for SC goalkeeper Noah Atubolu by his compatriot Philipp Lienhart. Darmstadt defended well after that, but Freiburg gradually increased the pressure. Michael Gregoritsch (26) and Ritsu Doan (27) missed two good opportunities to equalize within a few seconds. Höler did better from close range after preparatory work from Maximilian Eggestein.
At the start of the second half, it was all about the fight in the sleet and rain in Freiburg. Both teams gave each other nothing. In the 58th minute, Darmstadt's Christoph Zimmermann had to be carried off the pitch with a laceration and was replaced by Bartol Franjic. Marvin Mehlem had the best chance for the Lilies at this stage (65'). After 70 minutes, Breisgau upped the tempo and Darmstadt countered. A goal was in the air for both sides.
- In the relegation battle, Union Berlin managed to draw 1-1 against FC Augsburg, providing a glimmer of hope in their fight to stay up in the Bundesliga.
- Despite the draw, the pressure on Union remains high as they prepare to face Braga in the Champions League and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
- Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen continued their impressive run of success in the Bundesliga, defeating Werder Bremen 3-0 to take over the top spot.
- In another Bundesliga match, RB Leipzig suffered a setback against VfL Wolfsburg, losing 2-1 and slipping further away from the top teams.
Source: www.ntv.de
