25th matchday
Calm and mature: FC Augsburg continues its climbing tour
Augsburg’s Ermedin Demirovic (l) claims the ball against Heidenheim’s Benedikt Gimber. photo
© Harry Langer/dpa
2:1 against Freiburg, 6:0 in Darmstadt and now 1:0 against Heidenheim. FC Augsburg is stalking the European Cup places – and can win without a Demirovic goal.
Before that there was a 2-1 win against SC Freiburg and a brilliant 6-0 win in Darmstadt. Defense chief Jeffrey Gouweleeuw scored with a volley after a corner from Arne Maier in the 22nd minute in front of 30,660 spectators in the sold-out Augsburg Arena.
“Ambitious but humble – that is the path we want to take together until the end of the season,” was Thorup’s brief before kick-off. In the first half of the season, the Dane celebrated a top debut with a 5-2 win in Heidenheim. In 18 games under Thorup, the Augsburg team scored 27 points. The gaze can be directed upwards.
Increased self-confidence
The increased self-confidence and well-rehearsed processes were evident against Heidenheim. The defensive triangle with the outstanding central defenders Gouweleeuw and Felix Uduokhai and clearer Kristijan Jakic in front of them defused many of Heidenheim’s offensive actions.
And going forward, the FCA game under Thorup is structured and goal-oriented. For once, FCA’s success was also possible without a goal from captain Ermedin Demirovic (14 goals this season). The Bosnian international struggled in vain in the front line.
For the first time this season, Gouweleeuw was able to celebrate a goal. After Maier’s precise corner, the Dutchman decisively drove the ball over the goal line. The hosts also had a lot of control of the game. Heidenheim’s best chance before the break was a shot from the fit-again Jan-Niklas Beste, which Finn Dahmen had difficulty saving (10′). The FCA goalkeeper was happy about his second clean sheet in a row.
The home team looked for a decision in the second half in a concentrated and measured manner. However, Müller just used his body to direct a shot from Augsburg’s full-back Iago onto the crossbar (67′).
Best crosses with no effect
But Heidenheim also launched some offensive actions. The feared crosses and free kicks that brought the 25-year-old winger into the orbit of the national team during the European Championship year did not have the usual effect.
After 77 minutes, Beste’s working day ended with the substitution. The lucky punch was certainly possible for the guests, for example when Florian Pick’s long-range shot was a bit too high (81′).