FC Augsburg with a goalless draw against Eintracht Frankfurt
FC Augsburg remains with 43 points in the race for the Europa League. However, he was not able to make up any ground on Sunday with the 0-0 against the third in the table Eintracht Frankfurt (52 points). In the end, however, both teams were probably satisfied with the point after a lively game, which in some phases had a European level on the square and in the ranks.
FCA trainer Jess Thorup had made two changes in the starting eleven compared to the 2-1 win at VfL Bochum. For the willingness to change Fredrik Jensen, who had to take a seat on the bench, Mert Kömür moved into the starting eleven. For Kömür it was the second starting eleven deployment after February 8 against FSV Mainz 05.
Jess Thorup wants to play with the FCA International
Jensen, whose contract expires at the end of the season, was released at the beginning of the week for discussions with the MLS club St. Louis. So far there has been (yet) a transfer, but the transfer window is in the USA Open until April 23. And Cedric Zesiger returned after his yellow-red lock. For this, Keven Schlotterbeck had to give way.
Thorup had explained before the game: « We won’t sit back. We will attack the next five games, go hunting. We want to be as high as possible. » Internationally, the FCA most recently played in the 2015/16 season when the Europa League ended in the sixteenth final against Liverpool FC.
FC Augsburg showed good first half against offensive Frankfurter
Both fan camps showed what international flair can mean in the sold-out WWK-Arena. The FCA fans celebrated the 20th anniversary of the original 1907 fence flag with a giant choreo and the over 3000 Eintracht fans were creative. And so from the start, a game developed, which at the beginning, especially in addition to the square, corresponded to a European standard.
On the field, the FCA underlined its good shape and its ambitions for the entire first half. Eintracht was pressed on the defensive. But the very promising attacks, whether about the massive Samuel dining, the bustling Mert Kömür or the fine motorist Alexis Claude-Maurice, lacked the necessary precision in the dangerous zone. That is why Eintracht routinier Kevin Trapp, who had returned into the goal for the injured Kauã Santos, did not really have to intervene.
Mergim Berisha was substituted against Eintracht Frankfurt
The Eintracht offensive, on the other hand, was mostly closed. The Europa League off Tottenham on Thursday seemed visible. The injured game designer Mario Götze, whose replacement, Michy Bathshuayi and Fares Chaibi, shared the role that the Eintracht game was rarely able to arrange in the first 45 minutes.
At half-time, Eintracht trainer Dino Toppmöller changed both. The change of personnel was fruitful, the game became more open. In the 54th minute, Samuel awarded dining to the FCA, almost in return saved the FCA of the posts. FCA trainer Thorup then reacted as always that you can almost put the clock after an hour. And quite remarkable. Not regular striker Phillip Tietz, but Mergim Berisha, replaced essence and USA flirt Jensen came for Kömür.
Finn Dahmen secures the draw against Frankfurt to the FCA
The game now picked up speed, swaying back and forth. And in the 67th minute the FCA double change almost worked. Berisha hit the post, Jensen Stumpert was surprised by the rebound. Three minutes later, Zesiger prevented the 0-1 by Ansgar Knauff. Eintracht was now better in the game. Hugo Ekitiké failed in 1-1 against FCA goalkeeper Finn Dahmen (77th) the master in this discipline. Dahmen was also reactive at the header of Lucas Tuta-Silva (81st).
But the FCA struck again. In the 88th minute, the Tietz Eintracht goalkeeper Trapp, who had recently substituted, forced to a glossy act. The open exchange of blows had no winner.
FCA: Dahmen – Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Zesiger – Wolf (79th Koudossou), Onyeka, Jakic, Giannoulis – Kömür (61st Jensen), Claude -Maurice (86th Tietz) – Dessende (61st Berisha)
