Bundesliga Participant Scores | Augsburg 1-1 Union Berlin – Steffen Baumgart’s subs strike but once more

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The 2025/26 Bundesliga marketing campaign formally reached its half-way level on Thursday night time as FC Augsburg hosted Union Berlin within the last match of the “Hin-runde”. Manuel Baum’s Fuggerstädter celebrated Alexis Claude-Maurice’s very first objective of your complete season as they charged forward 1-0 at residence. It took the person who scored 9 Bundesliga objectives final season (together with a Lupenreiner hat trick) 16 league rounds to lastly open his account. Because it turned out, Claude-Maurice turned in an absolute stunner. 

Augsburg labored arduous to defend their slender 1-0 lead, however had been finally undone by Union Berlin head coach Steffen Baumgart’s well-known ‘Midas Contact’. As soon as once more, Baumgart’s substitutes got here to the rescue. Three of the gamers Baumgart launched late on to attain the 1-1 at 90+2. Union subs have now scored the membership’s final 5 objectives. Striker Marin Ljubicic – in simply his second look of the season – has now scored a late equalizer in back-to-back matches. Ljubicic’s 2025/26 account options two objectives in solely 20 minutes of soccer.

Get German Soccer Information is happy to produce a full rundown of the match, full participant scores for either side, the Man-of-the-Match award, and our tactical overview of an important points of the fixture. As shall be coated down beneath, Baumgart’s “Midas Contact” has a lot to do with a late match tactical tweak he’s been using over the past 5 league video games. 

The rundown of the match – inclusive fan protests – first. 

A sleepy opening half hour

Neither facet produced a objective scoring probability within the opening 19 minutes. Newly re-procured Augsburg striker Michael Gregoritsch inadvertently bumped into former Augsburg man Rani Khedira not lengthy after kickoff. Play was halted for a time because the Union medical employees went by way of the concussion protocols with their midfielder. The sport appeared to not get better a lot circulate after this early interruption, although each groups additionally cancelled themselves out tactically (noticed beneath) and has points with their basic timing.

The primary actual probability of the sport got here within the Nineteenth-minute when Union midfielder Andras Schäfer headed a good Oliver Burke cross large. A couple of minutes later, Union attacker Woo-Yeong Jeong had a crack from about 15 meters out. Burke himself shot large after a good Union counter within the twenty ninth minute. Union appeared the marginally livelier facet within the opening half-hour. Each groups had been then given a break as soon as a joint protest motion between the Union and Augsburg followers came about on the half-hour-mark

Union and Augsburg followers protest

As is at all times the case when a Bundesliga match takes place solely for the good thing about a TV contract, Bundesliga stadium goers protest what they contemplate to be an affront to their loyalty to their membership. The truth that a Bundesliga fixture is being performed on a Thursday night time is because of the truth that the DFL awarded Sky a Thursday night time recreation in the course of the uncommon “Englischer Wochen” by which the Bundesliga performs throughout midweek. Supporters from either side threw objects on the pitch and chanted “Scheiß DFL” within the Thirtieth-minute.

It took seven minutes to clear the rubber balls and flummis thrown onto the pitch. The extended interruption didn’t find yourself resulting in the groups producing significantly better soccer. The ball remained glued to the midfield as neither facet managed to win a number of floor duels. As one would anticipate, it might take some lifeless ball conditions to liven the match up. The Bavarian Swabian hosts obtained the possibility to mud off their set-piece playbook as soon as the match entered first-half damage time.

Alexis Claude Maurice scores his wondergoal

Claude Maurice despatched in a splendidly curled free-kick at 45+2 that was solely cleared by Union defender Diogo Leite. Robin Fellhauer practically capitalized on a second effort, however at the very least received the primary nook of the sport whereas making an attempt to work the rebound. The next nook did produce hazard as FCU keeper Frederik Rønnow had issue clearing a Keven Schlotterbeck header. Claude Maurice would later threaten with one other free-kick at 45+5.

Simply earlier than it was time to go into the locker room, Claude-Maurice produced his stunner at 40+6. The Frenchman sat deep and intercepted one other Union clearance after his drop ball. From at the very least 25 meters out, Clause-Maurice tomahawked in a fantastic strike that appeared completely telegraphed to land in the best nook. Rønnow cease completely no probability.

Augsburg assured after the break

Enjoying with renewed vim and vigor, one may barely acknowledge Manuel Baum’s XI after the change-of-ends. After sitting again timidly for many the entire first half, Augsburg moved the ball ahead extra courageously after the restart. It nonetheless took one other lifeless ball to supply the half’s first probability. Claude-Maurice really struck the submit with one other fantastic free-kick from 18 meters out within the 58th-minute. Two minutes later, Claude-Maurice spurned a wonderful FCA counter that almost ended with Anton Kade scoring the 2-0.

Baumgart subs strike once more

The one Augsburg substitute to actually make a mark was Mert Kömür, who performed an vital function in a counterattack within the 81st. The celebrated Germany U21 worldwide sadly couldn’t provide the end. Augsburg had another first rate alternatives (mentioned within the tactical overview beneath), however it was largely Union down the stretch. It genuinely appeared as if it might not be Union’s day with Querfeld (71st) and Khedira (79th) lacking the largest probabilities at an equalizer.

It really didn’t look to be Union’s day when match official Florian Badstubner despatched Union wingback Derrick Köhn off on a straight pink card within the 89th. Köhn performed the ball along with his excessive boot, however couldn’t handle to keep away from studding FCA substitute Samuel Essende within the face after touching the leather-based. Two minutes after Köhn’s sending off, Union scored their equalizer.

Simply like on Saturday, it was January 2024 switch flop Marin Ljubicic who scored the equalizer. To make issues even barely extra ridiculous, dead-weight squad member Alex Kral who crossed the ball in and struggling FCU striker Andrej Ilic (off the bench) who formally equipped the assists. Additionally very similar to on Saturday, the objective wasn’t precisely the prettiest.

Ljubicic merely poached residence his end.

FC Augsburg Participant Scores

Finn Dahmen (6) –  Cedric Zesiger (4), Keven Schlotterbeck (6), Noahkhai Banks (6)  – Dimitrios Giannoulis (5), Elvis Rexhbecaj (5), Kristijian Jakic (4), Robin Fellhauer (8) – Alexis Claude Maurice (9), Anton Kade (9) – Michael Gregoritsch (4)

Substitutes: Han-Noah Massengo (7), Marius Wolf (6), Mert Kömür (6), Samuel Essende (5), Fabian Rieder (-)

1. FC Union Berlin Participant Scores

Frederik Rønnow (7) – Diogo Leite (7), Leopold Querfeld (8), Danilho Doekhi (6) – Derrick Köhn (4)  Andras Schäfer (5) Rani Khedira (6) Christoph Trimmel (6) – Ilyas Ansah (6), Woo-Yeong Jeong (7)  –  Oliver Burke (6)

Substitutes: Aljoscha Kemlein (6), Livan Burcu (4), Andrej Ilic (6), Alex Kral  (6), Marin Ljubicic (7) 

GGFN Participant of the Match: Alexis Claude-Maurice (9)

Augsburg could have dropped factors once more, however Baum and the remainder of the group can take huge solace in the truth that Claude-Maurice is again up and working. The unlikely strike of the submit robbed Claude-Maurice of his brace. The FCA assault solely actually acquired rolling within the second half because of Claude-Maurice’s 12 sprints and three lengthy dribbles. Optically, the 27-year-old appeared exceptionally sturdy in his last 38 minutes on the pitch. Baum sadly needed to withdraw him for a “curtain name” in entrance of the followers. In any other case, we may be discussing a special consequence.

Tactical Assessment, FC Augsburg

Baum made 4 modifications to the XI simply dismantled by Gladbach early on Sunday. Kristijan Jakic and Elvis Rexhbecaj changed the earlier midfield double six set-up of Han Noah Massengo and Mert Kömür. Dimitrios Giannoulius returned from his yellow card suspension to take over for emergency substitute Mads Pedersen at left wingback. Gregoritsch took Fabian Rieder’s squad slot whereas Anton Kade moved again to Rieder’s place.

The group lined up in a 3-4-3 formation.

Lineup—FCA—(3-4-3)

Watching Michael Gregoritsch work in his first Bundesliga begin since returning to German soccer, the Austrian worldwide appeared far slower than his 31-years ought to go away him. To be honest, he by no means was the quickest of forwards. Gregoritsch held the ball up moderately effectively on the few events he acquired touches in, however these had been just too few and much between because the separation between Baum’s prime two axes had been just too far aside. The newly refreshed double-six duo received their justifiable share of duels, but themselves struggled to maneuver the ball with conviction.

Fellhauer and Kade acquired a number of clear one-twos rolling within the first half and did very effectively on the Sixtieth-minute counterattack. When Marius Wolf entered for Giannoulis within the seventy fifth, Fellhauer moved over to the left whereas Wolf took the left. This change led to 1 first rate probability from ahead punching Noahkai Banks within the 77th and one other very close to miss from Fellhauer within the 87th. Massengo was by far the perfect of Baum’s 5 subs. It was additionally moderately cool to look at cameras catch the Belgian juggling the rubber balls the followers threw on the pitch within the first half.

Augsburg Tactical Evaluation

Phrew. One desires to offer Baum the good thing about the doubt with the squad rotations throughout this “Englischer Woche”, however Massengo at the very least in all probability ought to at the very least been allowed to play from the beginning. The back-three did an particularly poor job on the low outward cycles for a lot of the match, suggesting that Baum must get a number of the fundamentals down along with his defenders. One mustn’t overlook Baum’s total repute as a coach. Anybody for the double shivers of the “Geisterspiel Period” with Schalke?

It additionally proved moderately bizarre to not see Baum interact with the group in the course of the protest break. One should discuss with one’s gamers each time there’s a long-pause within the motion, notably in the event that they performed as dangerous as Augsburg did in the course of the opening half hour. Baum by no means precisely loved the repute of a tactical wizard and Augsburg definitely don’t want him to be. That being mentioned, the “regular hand” the membership seeks must do higher along with his one-on-one with gamers.

Tactical Assessment, Union Berlin

Baumgart additionally made 4 modifications to the XI that lined up towards Mainz, lending Woo-Younger Jeong a begin after his “tremendous sub” look over teenager Livan Burcu. Ilyas Ansah additionally acquired the nod over Andrej Ilic in assault. Oliver Burke moved up from the best buttressing assist attacker function to spearhead Baumgart’s 3-4-3; completely modified on the highest two axes.

Farther down the pitch, Andras Schäfer (midfield six) and captain Christopher Trimmel (proper wingback) took over for Aljoscha Kemlein and Janik Haberer on straight swaps. There have been loads of rotations on varied fees within the assault, however Burke for essentially the most previous appeared chargeable for dealing with the middle along with his tempo.

Lineup—FCU—(3-4-3)

Because the participant scores above clarify, Union performed by far the extra engaging soccer. Jeong, Burke, and Ansah can all take pleasure of their efficiency, even when the crowning glory was missing. One discovered little fault with Union’s play all through a lot of the second 45 as effectively. Not like Keven Schlotterbeck and the FCA back-three, Leopold Querfeld largely acquired the triangles proper. Previous Man Christopher Trimmel (38) did very effectively on set-pieces.

Ahem.

That is how Baumgart will get late objectives out of his subs:

Lineup—FCU—83rd minute (4-3-3)

Cool no?

Union Berlin Tactical Evaluation

As this specific GGFN creator has famous a number of occasions, Baumgart deserves immense credit score for lastly shaking this group out of Urs Fischer’s much more conservative 3-3-2-2. It actually took over two years and two different head coaches (Nenad Bjelica and Bo Svensson) to make it occur. It took Baumgart himself roughly ten months on the job to get the group drilled in a 3-4-3. Now, two months later, Baumgart has two attack-minded formations at his disposal.

Opponents will finally catch as much as the 4-3-3 late match re-format and it received’t show the case that Union subs shine endlessly. Moreover, one sincerely doubts that this squad possesses the standard to problem for the Convention League place. That however, Baumgart’s group are solely about 12 factors from security on the official midway level of the season. 

The creator offers them perhaps eight extra rounds to succeed in 35 factors. 

GGFN | Peter Weis