“It was a fighting victory,” said Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich after his team’s 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. Bayern’s number 6 didn’t even know how much the narrow success was really worth. “We did it well and had a few good chances that should have led to the lead earlier. Then we could have finished it more confidently. It was very important and the way we did it was right,” said Kimmich. From Bayern’s point of view, the goal shot statistics were particularly good, in contrast to the conversion of chances: Munich shot 21 times at the Frankfurt goal, but they were only able to overcome the good mood Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp once. Trapp had already been the outstanding man in the first leg in Munich.
The result of the closest pursuer on Sunday evening was also very suitable for Munich: Borussia Dortmund did not get more than 1-1 at FC Augsburg. Although BVB were in the lead after a good half hour, they failed to extend it. Augsburg was a venomous opponent who threw himself into every duel and equalized in the final quarter of an hour. Overall, Dortmund did not show a good game. The last action of the game was significant: A free kick from the half field could have brought a last chance, but instead of hitting the ball high and sharply in front of the goal, BVB goalscorer Thorgan Hazard only managed a harmless attempt at knee height. After the end of the Europa League against Glasgow Rangers, that was the next setback for Dortmund, whose deficit in first place has now grown to eight points.
While a defiant BVB coach cited the strain of the European Cup as an excuse after the draw on Thursday, midfielder Emre Can was frustrated: “We just have to be ripped off and win games like this. We have to learn that,” he said on the DAZN microphone. “But I’m standing here and I feel like I’m saying the same thing every week. It’s not nice.”
Lewandowski: “We have to support Ukraine”
Before all games of the 24th matchday there had been minutes of silence and messages of peace on banners or the scoreboard because of the war in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian flags and scarves were displayed in the stands. Meanwhile, in Frankfurt, the call was read on the video cube: “Stop it, Putin!” Bayern substitute captain Robert Lewandowski wore an armband in the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag. “We must not accept what is happening there and we must support Ukraine,” said the Pole.
Leipzig and Leverkusen are doing their homework
Bayer 04 Leverkusen deservedly won their home game against Arminia Bielefeld 3-0 even without their injured striker Patrik Schick. However, Bayer coach Gerardo Seoane liked his team’s defensive performance even better than their attacking performance: “We kept a clean sheet, which makes me happy after the last few weeks, when we kept conceding goals. It was a deserved win,” said the Swiss.
Twice Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby was too fast for the Bielefeld defense
–
Another Champions League contender, RB Leipzig, scored three points on Sunday. The Leipzig team beat Bayern conquerors VfL Bochum 1-0, but were lucky: VfL hit aluminum twice.
Gladbach turns the game – not quite
The spectators in Mönchengladbach experienced an emotional roller coaster: After being 2-0 down, Gladbach equalized shortly before the end to make it 2-2. In added time, Borussia even scored the supposed 3-2 winning goal, but was not recognized by the referee because a Gladbacher had committed a foul. “The team showed will and deserved this point,” praised Gladbach coach Adi Hütter, even if it wasn’t three points in the end. “That gives me hope. The point was very important for us.” Even before the hot final phase, there had been controversial scenes: Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix saw the red card after an intentional handball, after a foul on Wolfsburg’s Max Kruse in the penalty area, VfL did not get a penalty.
On the other hand, things were clear in Berlin, where 1. FC union won 3-1 against FSv Mainz and, after three defeats in a row, managed to win again in the Bundesliga. “In the first half you could see that we were unsure that these three defeats in a row didn’t leave us unscathed,” admitted Union coach Urs Fischer. “In the second half we were more calm with the ball, that was a lot better.”
Cologne gives possible victory out of hand
1. FC Köln, who are still hoping for a place in Europe, suffered a setback at bottom side Greuther Fürth. After Cologne had taken the lead in the middle of the second half, they almost completely stopped their own attacking efforts and left the game to the Fürth team. The promoted team took advantage of this and scored a 1-1 equalizer after a corner kick.
Feelings of happiness at the bottom of the table: Sebastian Griesbeck scores against 1. FC Köln
–
Hertha BSC was also unlucky: The Berliners went into the game at SC Freiburg with severely weakened replacements due to several corona cases in the squad. Only goalkeeper number five was in goal in the 0:3 defeat with Marcel Lotka. After the 13th defeat of the season, Hertha remains 15th and is still waiting for its first win in 2022.
VfB Stuttgart’s streak of bad luck also continued: Despite a 1-0 lead up to the 85th minute, the penultimate table ended up without points at TSG Hoffenheim on Friday evening. TSG attacker Christoph Baumgartner turned the game around in the closing stages with a double strike.
The 24th Bundesliga matchday in numbers:
Eintracht Frankfurt – Bayern Munich 0: 1 (0: 0)
Tore: 0:1 Sané (70.)
FC Augsburg – Borussia Dortmund 1: 1 (0: 1)
Tore: 0:1 Hazard (35.), 1:1 Sarenren Bazee (78.)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Arminia Bielefeld 3: 0 (1: 0)
Tore: 1:0 Alario (30.), 2:0 Diaby (57.), 3:0 Diaby
VfL Bochum – RB Leipzig 0: 1 (0: 0)
Tore: 0: 1 Nkunku (81.)
1. FC Union Berlin – FSV Mainz 05 3:1 (1:0)
Tore: 1:0 Haraguchi (7.), 2:0 Becker (56.), 3:0 Awonyi (75.), 3:1 Burgzorg (90.)
Yellow-red card: Kohr (Mainz/60.)
Borussia Monchengladbach – VfL Wolfsburg 2: 2 (1: 2)
Tore: 0:1 Wind (6.), 0:2 Bornaauw (33.), 1:2 Thuram (42.), 2:2 Embolo (82.)
Red card: Lacroix (Wolfsburg/70.)
SC Freiburg – Hertha BSC 3:0 (1:0)
Tore: 1: 0 Grifo (12th / foul penalty), 2: 0 Schade (83rd), 3: 0 Höler (86th)
SpVgg Greuther Furth – 1. FC Cologne 1: 1 (0: 0)
Tore: 0:1 Kainz (53.), 1:1 Griesbeck (69.)
TSG Hoffenheim – VfB Stuttgart 2: 1 (0: 0)
Tore: 0:1 Endo (48.), 1:1 Baumgartner (85.), 2:1 Baumgartner (90.)
–
