FC Augsburg made Bundesliga history with a 4:1 (0:1) victory at Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday. Under manager Manuel Baum, the team sits at the top of the league table for the first time in the club's history after two matchdays, boasting six points and a 7:1 goal difference.
How did Augsburg turn the game in Frankfurt?
Despite an early lead for Eintracht through Jonathan Burkardt in the 6th minute, Augsburg produced a spectacular comeback after halftime. According to a Tagesschau report, Arijon Ibrahimovic in the 46th minute and Robin Fellhauer in the 47th scored to make it 2:1 within just 103 seconds. This rapid double blow completely derailed the Frankfurt side.
Alexis Claude-Maurice (65th) and Fabian Rieder (89th) with a free-kick goal sealed the clear 4:1 final score. The Sportschau analysis noted that Frankfurt showed two faces after a strong first half and encountered major defensive problems. The Sueddeutsche Zeitung described Augsburg's efficiency in the second half as ruthless.
What did manager Manuel Baum say about the historic success?
The Augsburg coach appeared to be in a "dream mode" after the match, as quoted by Tagesschau. "I just took a screenshot of the table," Baum said in an interview with Sportschau. He added, "I think if you're allowed to make history, you can also enjoy it for a day or two."
Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen tempered the euphoria slightly but conveyed the special mood in the team. "I believe for the majority of the squad it's definitely the first time and something special, even if it's only the second matchday," he told streaming service DAZN. The team is aware it won't stay like this all season.
What role did Frankfurt's problems play?
Bild Sport reported extensively on the "pressure points" at Eintracht Frankfurt after the 1:4 defeat. Accordingly, returning manager Adi Hütter was under immediate pressure at the start of the season. One substitution in particular caused head-scratching: at 1:3 down, Hütter brought on club legend Timothy Chandler, who had seen little playing time recently.
A mistake by Frankfurt's new goalkeeper Noah Atubolu for the 3:1 goal by Claude-Maurice worsened the situation for the hosts further. Hütter himself called the start to the second half "terrible" in the Sportschau. His team struggled to get back into the game afterwards. For Frankfurt, it was already the second match without a win after a 3:3 draw at Union Berlin on the opening day.
What's next for the league leaders?
FC Augsburg heads into the international break with a perfect six points from two games. In the current standings, the club leads the table. The next challenge awaits on September 12th with a home match against Bayer Leverkusen, currently in seventh place. The full schedule for the coming weeks can be found on the fixtures page.
The only downside is the current injury to Anton Kade, who had shone with a goal and an assist in the match against Schalke 04. He missed the Frankfurt game due to muscular problems. His status is noted on the injuries overview. Loanee Arijon Ibrahimovic started in his place and scored the crucial equalizer.
