SpVgg Greuther Fürth were held to a goalless draw by FC Augsburg in the Bavarian basement duel. However, the cloverleaf was able to avert a negative record at the end of the first half of the season.
Negative record avoided: With the draw against FC Augsburg, SpVgg Greuther Fürth averted a historic negative mark in the Bundesliga. Because: if they had lost, the cloverleaf would have equalled the Hinruden record set by Tasmania Berlin in 1965/66 (one win, one draw, 15 defeats).
Good start for the cloverleaf
In the match against FCA, Fürth pressed hard against the ball from the start and put the visitors under pressure early on. The team at the bottom of the league also showed some playful approaches in their own possession. However, Stefan Leitl’s team, who had brought on Hrgota and Nielsen for Dudziak and Itten after the 3-0 defeat in Dortmund, did not really become dangerous. Too often, the final finesse – and also the necessary luck – was missing.
Augsburg control
After just under 20 minutes, the visitors, for whom Markus Weinzierl had opted for Gouweleeuw, Maier, Caligiuri, Pedersen and Zeqiri instead of Framberger, Moravek, Vargas, Gregoritsch and Jensen after the 1:1 against Leipzig, found their way into the game. As a result, FCA dominated the game, but Burchert was rarely tested in the home side’s box. Only once did the goalkeeper have to make a save against Hahn (31st). Consequently, after a manageable and uneventful first half, the game went into the dressing room goalless.
FCA dangerous – and yet without a goal
And it was a different story at the start of the second half. Almost with the restart, Hahn failed with the best chance of the game so far against Burchert (48.). The game continued to be intense and fast-paced with Fürth again increasingly pressing the ball. But as in the first 45 minutes, the Franconians failed to play out their attacks consistently. The tempo slowed down and the game remained uneventful until the final phase.
In the final phase, the visitors showed more clarity in their actions and became dangerous with the eye-catching Vargas (67th). But the Ausgburgers were also denied a goal, so that the result was a deserved draw – which at the same time doesn’t really help either of the teams.
After the short winter break, SpVgg Greuther Fürth will play against Stuttgart (3.30 pm) on Saturday, 8 January. Augsburg are guests at Hoffenheim at the same time.
