For a long time, FC Augsburg looked like the winner against Bielefeld, but in the final phase, events came thick and fast. First the equaliser came as a surprise, then Joker Cordova was unlucky twice and FCA had to settle for a draw.
FCA coach Markus Weinzierl made two changes after the 2-1 defeat in Dortmund before the international break: Gruezo was completely absent from the squad, Cordova was initially only on the bench after his international trip, and Hahn and Vargas started in his place. Dorsch, who had fallen ill, was also not yet back in the squad.
Bielefeld coach Frank Kramer changed his starting line-up three times compared to the 4-0 home defeat against Leverkusen, once in each team section: Czyborra, Schöpf and Klos were initially on the bench, while Laursen, Kunze and Serra, who made his starting debut for Arminia, started in their place.
Caligiuri standards cause danger – Oxford score the lead
In front of a home crowd, FCA took control in a game between the two most harmless offensive lines of the season (both three goals each), which was initially most evident in terms of possession. But also the offensive play of the Fuggerstädter was more pleasing from the start, so FCA created a few standards in the early phase.
And these repeatedly caused danger: First, Strobl headed a Caligiuri corner against the crossbar (9th), another corner kick by the right-back then brought the lead. In the middle, Oxford was not properly tackled by Pieper and the centre-back scored his first goal of the season completely free (19th).
Afterwards, Bielefeld should have shifted up a gear, but nothing happened. Serra hung in the air up front, Gikiewicz did not have to intervene once in the first half. On the other hand, FCA often lacked the final punch in promising attacks in the final third, so they went into the dressing rooms with a deserved 1-0 lead.
Long time yawning boredom – then it goes blow by blow
Kramer had to change something – and he did: Fernandes and Schöpf came on for Okugawa and Wimmer, Hack moved into the forward line next to Serra. These changes did indeed provide new momentum for a short time, but by the hour mark the match had long since reached a manageable level, with play really only taking place between the penalty areas.
It went on like that into the final phase, with only Ortega Moreno having to make one save against Meier (68th) – but with a quarter of an hour to go, events briefly came to a head: Brunner’s long throw-in was only cleared into the middle by Moravek, where Laursen took the ball directly – and scored into the left corner for the surprising 1:1 (77.). Only seconds later, the ball was in the Bielefeld net, but before Moravek’s goal, Cordova was a foot’s width offside (78th) as well as shortly before the end with the goal of Joker Sarenren Bazee (89th) – here, too, the Fuggerstädter were only briefly jubilant.
FCA had the game under control for long stretches, but in the end the scoreboard showed a 1:1. This means that Arminia have still never won against Augsburg and remain winless this season, but FCA also failed to achieve the hoped-for liberation.
Augsburg open the upcoming matchday on Friday (20.30) with an away game in Mainz. Arminia, on the other hand, welcomes BVB the following day (3.30 p.m.).
