VfB Stuttgart – Eintracht Frankfurt 2: 3 (1: 1), Goals: 0-1 Ndicka (7th), 1-1 Anton (42nd), 1-2 Hrustic (47th), 2-2 Kalajdzic (70th), 2-3 Hrustic (77th)
There was also positive news for Stuttgart on this matchday, which VfB ended as a big loser: After five goalless matchdays, the seventeenth-placed team managed to score again; first through Waldemar Anton, then – and this is perhaps the more hopeful message – the footballing dream couple Borna Sosa/Sasa Kalajdzic officially got back together. After a cross from Sosa, Kalajdzic headed the 2: 2 – a tried and tested means from the successful previous season. But given the serious situation in Swabia, there shouldn’t be much room for purposeful optimism: the problems on the offensive that have been solved for the time being did not conceal the problems in the defense against Eintracht. After each corner, Frankfurt’s Evan Ndicka and Ajdin Hrustic shot free – the latter scored a volley from the edge of the penalty area, which is well worth seeing. Substitute Hrustic then scored for Eintracht to win. And in the end there was only bad news for Stuttgart: the 2:3 means the sixth winless game in a row. The competition is doing better.
Arminia Bielefeld – Borussia Monchengladbach 1: 1 (1: 1), Goals: 1-0 Serra (19′), 1-1 Plea (38′)
At Borussia Mönchengladbach, the question arose as to how the players would deal with the emotional and surprising resignation of sporting director Max Eberl, the man who brought many of them to the club. In Bielefeld it was also about not letting Arminia pass them in the table. The starting position was not exactly easy for Gladbach, and it fitted into the mood that Bielefeld left-footed Janni Serra had saved a dream goal for Borussia. A courageous dribble was followed by a shot from the right corner of the penalty area to make it 1-0.
The Gladbach proved that they can deal with setbacks. After a decent combination of Bensebaini, Hofmann and Plea, the equalizer came. However, the 1:1 did not inspire at all. Instead, goalkeeper Yann Sommer had to bring out his entire repertoire of saves – as so often this season. In the end, the Gladbachers noticeably ran out of energy, and they could be satisfied with the draw.
Bielefeld’s Janni Serra sends the ball towards Winkel.
(Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
1. FC Cologne – SC Freiburg 1:0 (1:0), Goals: 1-0 Modeste (23rd)
If he had opted for more money, he would not have been there at all. Anthony Modeste received an offer from Riyadh’s Al-Hilal club in January, which FC officials called “exorbitant” and “very, very immoral”. But Modeste, soon to be 34 and almost written off before the season, preferred to stay in Cologne, where things are going so well for him under Steffen Baumgart. Even in the absence of the corona-positive head coach, the striker scored his 14th goal of the season against Freiburg, exceptionally not with his head, but with his right foot and nicely prepared by Jan Thielmann. Freiburg, the surprise team of the first half of the season, only got stronger after the break after a weak first half, but then often failed due to FC keeper Marvin Schwäbe. And now Cologne is only one point behind the sports club.
Mainz 05 – TSG Hoffenheim 2: 0 (0: 0), Goal: 1-0 Jae-Sung Lee (79′), 2-0 Niakhate (83’/penalty)
A game that could actually be a lot better than its somewhat provincial reputation, to say the least. After all, both Mainz and Hoffenheim have already offered European football this season. However, that was a few weeks ago, both had won only once this year before the meeting – and they played like that for a long time. A bit surprisingly, it was Mainz who scored in the closing stages, first with a counter goal and then after a handball from Dennis Geiger in the penalty area from the penalty spot. For the time being, however, both clubs are no longer on course for the European Cup.
FC Augsburg – 1.FC Union Berlin 2:0 (1:0), Goals: 1: 0 Gregoritsch (16th), 2: 0 Hahn (59th)
It is well known in football circles that a well-executed pressing replaces the playmaker. A goal chance is then prepared by a mistake by the opponent. Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe backed up this logic against his former employer Augsburg. He provided illustrative material for the next football teacher training course, how to not freed from high enemy pressure. His pass to the center shortly after his own kick turned out to be far too daring. The ball quickly landed on the in-form Michael Gregoritsch, who dutifully scored alone in front of Luthe. Luthe’s dropouts matched large parts of Berlin’s performance, which seemed unusually fragile for a European Cup candidate. What you don’t need a playmaker for either: For artistic shots like that of André Hahn, who threw the ball into the corner from 25 meters. If Luthe had saved the shot, it would have been an object lesson in making the perfect save. But he didn’t succeed.