15:30 Kickoffs: Bayern survive Augsburg scare, Bremen defeat Freiburg, Köln and Heidenheim come away with hard earned draws
Widespread protests continued around the Bundesliga's footballing temples in the face of the new DFL licensing deal, albeit reduced compared to last weekend.
The 15:30 kickoffs offered up an abundance of goals and thrilling encounters. Bayern held off a late Augsburg resurgence to prevail 3-2, two second-half goals ensured Bremen defeated Freiburg 3-1, while there was nothing to separate Wolfsburg-Köln and Hoffenheim-Heidenheim as both games finished 1-1.
Record champions Bayern Munich managed to get the better of their Bavarian counterparts Augsburg. Thomas Tuchel’s side ran out 3-2 winners despite receiving a few scares in the process. De Ligt appeared to give away an early penalty only for VAR award a freekick for the handball which commenced just outside the box. Elvis Rexhbecaj even placed the ball beyond Neuer minutes later, but the midfielder was adjudged offside in the build-up. Bayern would forge the opener through 19-year-old Pavlović who drilled home Tietz’s poor clearance from a Guerreiro corner. The only blot on the Bayern copybook being Kingsley Coman’s withdrawal through injury, replaced by Mathys Tel in the 26th minute. The visitor’s lead extended just before the interval – Goretzka playing Davies into space who fired home from range with his weaker right foot.
The 15:30 kickoffs offered up an abundance of goals and thrilling encounters. Bayern held off a late Augsburg resurgence to prevail 3-2, two second-half goals ensured Bremen defeated Freiburg 3-1, while there was nothing to separate Wolfsburg-Köln and Hoffenheim-Heidenheim as both games finished 1-1.
As has been the case all season, Ermedin Demirović proved to be a thorn in the side of his opponents. The Bosnian combined with Kevin Mbabu to head past Neuer from seven metres. Tuchel’s side would hit back to regain a 3-1 lead just before the hour mark. Keeping the ever-dangerous presence of Harry Kane subdued is difficult at the best of times. Christian Jakic’s misguided interception made life easy for the English striker who tapped home to a half-empty net. Augsburg received two late penalties as the game neared its end which created a tense finish. The first of which taken by substitute Sven Michel would be repelled by Neuer. Demirović would make no mistake with the second, sending the World Cup-winning goalkeeper the wrong way. Bayern hung on to secure all three points in the end.
A couple of penalties left the meeting of Werder Bremen and Freiburg in the melting pot at half-time, but the hosts would run out 3-1 winners. Jordy Makengo the guilty party for the first of said spot-kicks in the 9th minute, clipping the heels of Felix Agu. The no longer suspended Marvin Ducksch strode forth to bag his 8th goal of the campaign. Bremen would return the favour just before the half hour – Noah Weißhaupt brought to ground by Olivier Deman. Skipper, Vincenzo Grifo, with the most nonchalant of elfmeter routines as he brushed the ball to Zetterer’s net.
Bremen re-established their advantage inside 8 second-half minutes. Schmid fed Njinmah who hared inside Ginter and unleashed a rocket past the despairing Atubolu. The result was put beyond doubt in injury time as Freiburg debutante, Atilla Sallai, made an almighty mistake. Bremen’s respective debutante Malatini profited as a result, latching onto the tame back-pass to round Atubolu and send the Weserstadion into delirium.
Wolfsburg and 1.FC Köln proved to be the feistiest fixture of the lot this afternoon as it finished 1-1 apiece. First-half goals came inside a 2-minute flash as the interval approached. Visiting Effzeh fans were sent into ecstasy as Frankfurt loanee Faride Alidou broke the deadlock first. Florian Kainz’s set-piece was redirected into the 22-year-old’s path by Joakim Mæhle, providing the space to fire past Casteels. The Danish full-back would make swift amends for Die Wölfe – a sharp pass to Vaclav Černý gave the Czech winger time to pick out American teammate Kevin Paredes to guide past Schwäbe.
The meeting of TSG Hoffenheim and Heidenheim provided the necessary niggle one would expect with any Swabian derby. Eren Dinkçi thrusted the visitors into a 29th-minute lead as he collected Schöppner’s pass and remained cool under pressure despite the onrushing Baumann. The penalties continued to rain around the grounds as Maxi Beier’s goal-bound strike hammered off Gimber’s outstretched arm. As was the case in the reverse fixture, Andrej Kramarić did the honours to roll the resulting spot-kick past Kevin Müller. Both outfits pushed hard for a winner in the second-half but equally lacked that decisive final pass as the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw.