SG Eintracht Frankfurt – FC Bayern Munich 5:1 (3:1), 1:0 Marmoush (12th), 2:0 Dina Ebimbe (31st), 3:0 Larsson (36th), 3:1 Kimmich (44th), 4:1 Dina Ebimbe (50th), 5:1 Knauff (60.)
The images of stunned-looking Munich residents in Frankfurt didn’t seem unfamiliar. In 2019, unforgettable, Munich lost 1:5 in the last game under Niko Kovac. In 2021 it was only 1:2, but that was also quite memorable because Niklas Süle let Amin Younes outplay him in the penalty area. Every two years the time seems to be ripe for FC Bayern to take on Eintracht. And this time it was a tough one again, especially since it came completely unexpectedly against an opponent who had been knocked out of the DFB Cup against Saarbrücken during the week.
From Bayern’s point of view it was 0:3 after 36 minutes. At 0-1, Noussair Mazraoui cleared the ball at the feet of goal preparer Fares Chaibi and then stood in front of his own goal, where he canceled the offside. Before the score was 0-2, Min-jae Kim lost a running duel against Ansgar Knauff, in which he had started with a lead, after which the other defenders Dayot Upamecano and Alphonso Davies also clumsily lost their duels and even Manuel Neuer didn’t look good when shooting the short corner. Before the score was 3-0, Kimmich played a negligent bad pass into the feet of goal scorer Hugo Larsson. At least Kimmich scored a dream goal shortly before the break to make it 1:3. But that became a footnote.
Thomas Tuchel had already spoken words of warning. “The task was to maintain tension,” he said about the unusually long break of ten days, as the game against Union Berlin on the previous matchday had been canceled due to snowfall in Munich. Apparently it wasn’t quite possible to maintain the tension.
Konrad Laimer and Raphael Guerreiro came on for Mazraoui and Davies at the break, but things continued as before. First, an unsuccessful pass from Upamecano tore a big hole in the Munich defense, Leon Goretzka tried in vain after him, and junior Dina Ebimbe scored for the second time. And by the fifth Frankfurt goal, there were already more holes than able-bodied Munich footballers. “One more goes in,” sang the Frankfurt fans. Bayern were lucky that didn’t happen. And they were also unlucky: Serge Gnabry was injured after being substituted on and had to leave the field straight away.
1. FC Union Berlin – Borussia Mönchengladbach 3:1 (1:0), 1:0 Kevin Volland (23rd, hand penalty), 2:0 Hollerbach (50th), 3:0 Kaufmann (75th), 3:1 Pléa (77th)
You still have to get used to the fact that at Union Berlin there is no longer the leisurely Swiss Urs Fischer on the sidelines and classifying the events at the Alte Försterei in leisurely Swiss language. But if it starts like this, it might be a little easier for the Union players to get used to it. In new coach Nenad Bjelica’s first league game, there was the first league win for the Champions League participant, who was mired in a relegation battle, since the end of August, and he was rarely in danger. The Croatian’s plan to set up a four-man chain instead of a three-man chain worked. The first goal was a bit lucky because Luca Netz clumsily kept his arm in the path of the ball in the penalty area. But then things worked out for the Berliners.
SV Werder Bremen – FC Augsburg 2:0 (1:0), 1:0 Strong (39th), 2:0 Ducksch
Different emotions before the north-south duel: While Werder was only able to win one of the last eight games, Augsburg had not lost in six games. It was a tough encounter in the first half. There was excitement after almost half an hour: Instead of hitting the ball, Werder goalkeeper Michael Zetterer just kicked in the air when he tried to grasp it and slipped. However, FCA striker Philip Tietz was unable to place his shot from 14 meters into the empty goal. His trainer Jess Thorup almost tore his jacket off in frustration. Good luck for Bremen, who then took the lead themselves: Niklas Stark headed a sharp corner from Marvin Ducksch into the Augsburg goal. It was Werder’s first goal from a corner on matchday 14.
After the break, the Hanseatic League almost scored the second corner goal, but Jens Stage’s dropkick landed centimeters away from the FCA goal. Shortly afterwards there was a 2-0 lead: Ducksch heaved a cross into the net with a diving header. Augsburg lacked the offensive quality of the last few weeks and, apart from a hit on the crossbar by Joker Arne Engels, hardly had any opportunities. This was the first defeat under Thorup. Werder breathes a sigh of relief.
VfL Wolfsburg – SC Freiburg 0:1 (0:0), 0:1 Gregortisch (74.)
VfL has lost all of its last six away games – the pressure at home was correspondingly high. After just four minutes, Wolfsburg midfielder Mattias Svanberg hit the crossbar. Afterwards, both teams had little success. It went into halftime goalless and there were few chances after the break. Although Wolfsburg had little offensive emphasis, they had the action largely under control and defended in a disciplined manner. But a quarter of an hour before the end, the guests from Breisgau turned the game on its head: A free-kick cross from Matthias Ginter was followed by a double header from two Freiburg players in the VfL penalty area, at the end of which Michael Gregoritsch deliberately and placed a shot. It was the first chance for SC in the second half. Things could now get even more uncomfortable for Wolfsburg’s coach Niko Kovac.
1. FC Heidenheim – SV Darmstadt 98 3:2 (1:0), 1:0 Jan Schöppner (42nd), 1:1 Skarke (52nd), 1:2 Maloney (60th, own goal), 2:2 Mainka (69th), 3:2 Mainka (71st)
An immensely important duel between the league’s two promoted teams and designated relegation candidates. There is even a Heidenheimer of top European caliber: No player from a promoted team in the top 10 leagues collected more scorer points this season than FCH winger Jan-Niklas Beste. There were ten goal involvements before the game and another one was added against Darmstadt: Shortly before half-time, Beste chipped a free kick into the penalty area, where Jan Schöppner directed the ball with his head and shoulder onto the bottom edge of the crossbar. Darmstadt goalkeeper Marc Schuhen tried to clear the ball, but the entire ball landed behind the line.
The Darmstadt team responded after the break: Tim Skarke shielded a long pass well and hit the bottom left corner from 14 meters. Interesting side note: Skarke is a native of Heidenheim. And things got even worse for the Ostalb team: US international Lennard Maloney couldn’t get his legs sorted and stumbled a cross into his own goal. But FCH has its top scorer: corner best from the left, header Patrick Mainka, equalizer. Two minutes later: Corner best from the right, header Mainka – 3:2. Game rotated again. The Heidenheimers then cleverly kept the ball away from their own goal. Three standard goals brought the home win.