At the Veltins-Arena on Sunday, Augsburg shined in a Bundesliga match against Schalke by chalking up three goals and not letting Schalke score even once.
A stunning free-kick by Eduard Löwen, Noel Sarenren Bazee’s first Bundesliga goal, and a late effort by substitute Sergio Cordova put an end to Augsburg’s spell of losing matches, which had been running for six games. However, Schalke’s similar dry spell has extended to nine games now.
It took Augsburg just six minutes for the deadlock to break. Alessandro Schöpf upended Rani Khedira on the edge of the Schalke area. It left Löwen beautifully whipping the ball over the wall and a free-kick into the top corner ensued.
Despite the early set-back, Schalke dominated for much of the half for large periods, though creating only one notable chance of scoring.
Former Manchester City player Rabbi Matondo used his rhythm to drive off the left flank into the Augsburg box, but Andreas Luthe was well down to the close-range effort of the Welshman.
Roles were reversed after the first half, though, as initiative was again taken by Augsburg. A strong save from Markus Schubert was brought by Florian Niederlechner, with Marco Richter following suit just past the hour.
Schubert made a free-kick flying stop from a trademark Philipp Max, before Augsburg-owned forward Michael Gregoritsch, playing for Schalke, sent a header wide, with the clearest opening of the second period for Schalke- but eventually, in vain.
It also proved to be a costly mistake as Sarenren Bazee, an Augsburg substitute, made the most of a lax defence before slotting beyond Schubert. Cordova’s injury-time strike put the seal on Heiko Herrlich’s first win as coach, resulting in Augsburg moving seven points clear of the play-off relegation spot.
The details of the match are as such:
Schalke 0-3 Augsburg
Goals: 0-1 Löwen (6′), 0-2 Bazee (79′), 0-3 Cordova (90’+1)
Line-ups
Schalke: Schubert – Kenny, Sane, Nastasic, Oczipka – McKennie (Mercan 73′), Serdar (Kutucu 56′) – Caligiuri (c) Boujellab (76′), Schöpf – Matondo (Raman 76′), Gregoritsch
Unused subs: Nübel, Miranda, Kabak, Burgstaller, Thiaw
Out: Harit (ligament), Mascarell (groin), Stambouli (match fitness), Todibo (ankle)
Coach: David Wagner
Augsburg: Luthe – Framberger, Jedvaj, Uduokhai, Max – Gruezo (Oxford 83′), Khedira (c) – Richter, Löwen (Moravek 70′), Vargas (Sarenren Bazee 59′) – Niederlechner (Cordova 83′)
Unused subs: Koubek, Lichtsteiner, Suchy, Gouweleeuw, Baier
Out: Finnbogason (knee), Giefer (foot), Schieber (calf)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich
