German Bundesliga

Own goal in the 100th minute saves Bayern against the bottom team

Heidenheim’s blue wall, all too often impenetrable for Bayern…(Bild: AFP/ALEXANDRA BEIER)

TSG Hoffenheim, led by coach Christian Ilzer and sporting director Andreas Schicker, suffered a late setback in the race for the Champions League! In a direct clash for fourth place in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart salvaged a 3-3 draw in the final minute while down a man. The match between first and last place in Munich ended with the same score: Heidenheim narrowly missed pulling off a sensation against a rotating Bayern Munich squad. The champions equalized in the 100th minute...

Hoffenheim officially announced the contract extension with Andrej Kramaric before the game. The striker seemingly wrote the perfect story to go with it with a brace (8th, 49th). The Croatian now has 14 goals this season and 140 in total for Hoffenheim. Rising star Bazoumana Touré, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League, also scored (24th) and set up Kramaric’s second goal.

Chris Führich (20th) and Ermedin Demirovic (64th) scored for Stuttgart, who didn’t give up even while down a man. For Atakan Karazor, the match ended prematurely after a kick to the Achilles tendon by Fisnik Asllani (69th). Hoffenheim squandered match points, and Tiago Tomas pounced in the 95th minute to make it 3-3 between the two teams, who remain level on points. Hoffenheim has the easier remaining schedule with matches against the struggling teams from Bremen and Mönchengladbach. Stuttgart faces Leverkusen and Frankfurt.

Bayern Avoided Second Loss of the Season
Bayern were taking it easy ahead of the Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, just as they had in Mainz (4-3 after 0-3). Budu Zivzivadze (22') and Eren Dinkci (31') gave the massive underdogs hope of an upset with their goals. Leon Goretzka cut the deficit to 1-2 (44th) with a direct free kick just before halftime. At the restart, Michael Olise, Luis Diaz, Harry Kane, and Joshua Kimmich took the field alongside ÖFB international Konrad Laimer, who started on the left and then moved to the right.

Olise set up Goretzka’s equalizer (2-2, 57th minute), while Bayern squandered chances to take the lead. Zivzivadze was unstoppable against Olise and also beat Jonas Urbig with a spectacular curling shot (76th minute). Just as everyone was expecting Bayern’s second loss of the season, the ball rolled over the line off the back of Heidenheim goalkeeper Diant Ramaj following an Olise shot that hit the post. If their rivals Wolfsburg (25th, in Freiburg) and St. Pauli (26th, against Mainz)—who don’t play until Sunday—pick up full points, Heidenheim’s remaining chance is minimal.

Schmid with a goal, Gregoritsch with an assist
Augsburg celebrated once again against a favorite opponent. Michael Gregoritsch set up the 1-0 goal by Anton Kade (24th, 45+3), who scored twice, with a through ball. Bremen disappointed in many respects. Romano Schmid gave Werder hope with the goal that cut the deficit (64'). Augsburg keeper Finn Dahmen didn't look good on the Austrian national team player's fourth goal of the season; the shot wasn't particularly well-placed. After a corner, however, Augsburg's two-goal lead was quickly restored.

In Frankfurt, HSV had the better of the game; Fabio Vieira hit the crossbar, but the opponents took the lead. Can Uzun put Eintracht ahead (48'). Hamburg, however, turned the game around for their first win in Frankfurt since 2010. Albert Grönbäk (51') and Vieira (59') scored. Union Berlin earned their first point in a 2-2 draw against 1. FC Köln in their third match under coach Marie-Louise Eta. The capital club came back from a 0-2 deficit.