1. Fortuna Düsseldorf-Schalke (2-1):
Since the Bundesliga restart, neither Fortuna Düsseldorf nor Schalke had won a game.
It was the home side that changed this record in the first half. Through the first stage, Fortuna enjoyed 70 per cent of the ball, which helped them check Markus Schubert in the Schalke goal.
Rouwen Hennings and Kenan Karaman both scored within five minutes after USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie had opened the scoring to inspire Fortuna Düsseldorf’s comeback win over Schalke on Wednesday.
Line-ups:
Fortuna: Kastenmeier – Zimmermann, Ayhan, Hoffmann, Suttner (Gießelmann 70′)- Stöger, Sobottka (Bodzek 61′) – Berisha (Morales 81′), Karaman, Thommy – Hennings (c) (Skrzybski 81′)
Schalke: Schubert – Kabak, Sane, Nastasic – Kenny, McKennie, Schöpf, Oczipka – Caligiuri (c) (Kutucu 74′), Burgstaller (Gregoritsch 74′), Matondo (Todibo 85′)
2. Hoffenheim-FC Koln (3:1):
Hoffenheim ended a seven-game winless streak, with a 3-1 win over Koln, in a game that saw both sides reduced to ten men.
Christoph Baumgartner was the star of the match- he scored two goals and set a third for Steven Zuber.
An early goal was just what Hoffenheim needed without a win in seven games and they got it in the 11th minute with Baumgartner threading through the legs of Timo Horn.
Baumgartner then didn’t have to wait long before celebrating his second goal of the game. He scored as he headed into Skov’s cross, despite Mere’s attempt to clear it off line, within 40 seconds of the restart.
A red card for Hoffenheim defender Benjamin Hübner restored staff parity, and Florian Kainz tried to restore parity in the scoreline as well by pulling one back to Koln with the help of a deflection off Havard Nordtveit.
The defender of Hoffenheim was then guilty of a handball in the penalty area, giving Uth the opportunity to bring back Koln from the spot to a goal. However, Oliver Baumann came to save Hoffenheim and made a save that thwarted expectations of Koln’s return as the hosts held firm.
Line-ups:
Hoffenheim: Baumann – Kaderabek, Posch, Hübner (c), Zuber – Sammasekou, Grillitsch (Rudy 46′) – Bruun Larsen (Nordtveit 52′), Baumgartner (Geiger 77′), Skov – Dabbur (Bebou 58′)
Koln: Horn (c) – Ehizibue (Mere 32′), Bornauw, Leistner, Schmitz (Hector 82′) – Skhiri, Rexhbecaj – Drexler (Kainz 56′), Uth (Terodde 82′), Jakobs – Cordoba (Modeste 82′)
3. Augsburg-Paderborn (0:0):
Neither Augsburg nor Paderborn have been able to build some momentum in their battle against relegation, with the teams cancelling out each other in a 0-0 draw on Matchday 28.
At kick-off, at the bottom of the table and three points adrift of 17th-placed Werder Bremen, Paderborn started with the team determined to fight their way to safety. Yet for all the aggressive tackles and lung-busting sprints to close opponents, the visitors also showed that they could play a bit.
They should have taken the lead in five minutes when Streli Mamba fired wide at his mercy with the objective. This did not happen though.
Niederlechener was involved in the first chance of the second half when he drilled a low ball across the goal to Vargas, who was just unable to finish.
That seemed to ignite Paderborn back into life as Holtmann fired a low shot across the goal from a close angle that Luthe did well to tip on the post.
Line-ups:
Augsburg: Luthe – Framberger, Jedvaj (Cordova 75′), Uduokhai, Max (Lichtsteiner 82′) – Khedira, Baier (c) (Gruezo 67′) – Vargas, Löwen (Gouweleeuw 75′), Richter (Sarenren Bazee 67′) – Niederlechner
Paderborn: Zingerle – Jans (Zolinski 87′), Hünemeier, Schonlau (c), Collins – Vasiliadis (Ritter 87′), Gjasula (Sabiri 79′), Holtmann (Pröger 62′) – Mamba (Michel 62′), Srbeny, Antwi-Adjei
4. Union Berlin Vs. Mainz (1:1):
Union Berlin played with ten men for over 45 minutes as they battled with Mainz on Wednesday at a 1-1 home draw to keep ahead of their opponents just above the relegation zone of the Bundesliga.
For the very first time, a year to the day they were promoted to the Bundesliga, Union was celebrating off the pitch. As for on the pitch, they hoped not only to enjoy a first goal since the restart but also a marked improvement on their last-time Hertha 4-0 derby defeat.
That ambition took a major blow to give Mainz an early lead when Ridle Baku carefully steered a low shot home. It was a major boost for Achim Beierlorzer ‘s side, who started the game three points behind their hosts, having lost 5-0 at home to RB Leipzig at the weekend.
The 05s kept a firm grip on Sebastian Andersson, who had scored twice in the season earlier in Die Eisernen’s 3-2 win in Mainz, but couldn’t contain another Scandinavian. Dane Marcus Ingvartsen steering a free-kick beyond a false-footed Florian Müller just after the half-hour mark.
Line-ups:
Union: Gikiewicz – Friedrich, Schlotterbeck, Subotic – Trimmel (c), Gentner, Andrich, Ryerson – Ingvartsen (Mees 74′), Bülter (Prömel 65′) – Andersson
Mainz: Müller – Hack, Bruma, Niakhate – Baku, Barreiro, Kunde (Latza 82′) – Boetius – Quaison (Ji 73′), Mateta (Szalai 82′), Awoniyi (Onisiwo 62′)
