15:30 Kickoffs: Dortmund again drop points, Bochum defeat Union, Wolfsburg win shorthanded
Borussia Dortmund will once again finish the weekend out of the top four courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Augsburg on Saturday afternoon. Both Leipzig and Hoffenheim even have a chance to overtake the BVB in this Saturday evening's "Top-Spiel".
In three other simultaneous kickoffs, Heidenheim and Bochum were able to take big relegation race points against respective bottom-table rivals Mainz and Union Berlin. VfL Wolfsburg, despite being reduced to ten men, were able to overcome SV Darmstadt 98.
Borussia Dortmund have once again dropped points in the league after splitting the difference with FC Augsburg at the WWK-Arena. Edin Terzic's BVB - since defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach on match-day 12 - have now gone winless in three league games in addition to being eliminated from the DFB Pokal. Jess Thorup's Augsburg became the second German opponent in the last three weeks to draw Terzic's troops.
In three other simultaneous kickoffs, Heidenheim and Bochum were able to take big relegation race points against respective bottom-table rivals Mainz and Union Berlin. VfL Wolfsburg, despite being reduced to ten men, were able to overcome SV Darmstadt 98.
Augsburg trainer Thorup made one change to the XI that lost for the first time under his command last week. Arne Engels was once again fit to play and reclaimed his spot on the left flank from Ruben Vargas. Terzic rotated in four new actors from the XI that drew PSG midweek. Thomas Meunier, Emré Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Donyell Malen started in place of Marius Wolf, Salih Özcan, the suspended Mats Hummels, and the injured Karim Adeyemi.
The two sides - both displaying disorganized and unfocused defensive lines - traded chances in the early going. The visiting Westphalians eventually appeared to gain the upper hand, but it would be the hosting Fuggerstädter that scored the opening goal in the 23rd. Augsburg skipper Ermedin Demirovic continued his fine run of form with a fine finish on a long ball from Mads Pedersen on the 1-0.
Dortmund were able to equalize 12 minutes later with after Marco Reus unlocked Malen in the penalty area. The Dutchman polished off the 35th-minute 1-1 after a crisp one-two with Niclas Füllkrug. Terzic's side proceeded to dominate over the final ten minutes of the half, yet were unable to score another goal. The two teams headed into the tunnel deadlocked.
Augsburg garnered the majority of chances after the restart. Lead-striker Philipp Tietz notably failed to convert three major chances before the 46th and 55th. Matters opened up quite a bit after the hour-mark, with the two teams trading plenty of chances amid consistent end-to-end action. Respective keepers Finn Dahmen and Gregor Kobel nevertheless stood tall and kept any more goals from being scored.
Dahmen in particular made some world class saves in the final ten minutes. The FCA net-minder was slightly aided by a few poor finishes from BVB debutant Samuel Bamba. At the other end, Augsburg subs Dion Drena Beljo and Patric Pfeiffer missed late chances in injury time. Füllkrug also sent a close-range effort too close to Dahmen.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga's 15:30 kickoffs, VfL Bochum were able to take a massive three points off relegation rivals 1. FC Union Berlin. Thomas Letsch's Revierklub prevented new FCU trainer Nenad Bjelica from stringing together two consecutive league victories with a 3-0 home win. Bochum are now six points clear of 16th-placed Union thanks to the result.
In another match with significant relegation race repercussions, Frank Schmidt's 1. FC Heidenheim earned the full three points against from their trip to Mainz. Schmidt's newly-promoted BaWü border club are now seven points ahead of the 15th-placed Rheinhessen after achieving a 1-0 away victory.
Niko Kovac's VfL Wolfsburg were able to shake off an early red card for defender Maxence Lacroix and dig out a 1-0 victory from their trip to Darmstadt. Lacroix's sending off left the Autosdtädter shorthanded from the 27th minute onward, but Torsten Lieberknecht's anemic attack failed to make it count.