FC Augsburg
Paderborn
0
0
- Referee:
- Deniz Aytekin
0-0 against SC Paderborn: No goals under the lights
First Team
27.05.2020, 22:20
FCA drew 0-0 at home to SC Paderborn on Wednesday evening. In a closely contested game, both sides had chances to win but neither took them as the teams played out a goalless draw.
Coach Heiko Herrlich made just one change to his starting XI from the 3-0 win over FC Schalke 04. Captain Daniel Baier came back into the side as Carlos Gruezo dropped the the bench.
FCA were quick out of the gates in the game: Eduard Löwen struck just over the bar with yet another clever free kick. The Red, Green and Whites then got a little bit of luck defensively as Streil Mamba could’t convert a gilt-edged chance for SC Paderborn. After Augsburg had much more of the ball in the opening stages, Paderborn began to really grow into the game. Gerrit Holtmann’s strike forced Andreas Luthe into a big save (22’), while Leopold Zingerle was also called into action at the other end to parry a shot from Daniel Baier (25’).
There was little else to speak of in the half after that. Both teams failed to threaten much going forward and so developed a hard-fought but toothless match up between the two sides which was played mostly in the middle of the park. A header from Ruben Vargas which just missed the target after a well-worked free kick, was only of the only highlights (34’). FCA also had the last chance of the half but Löwen’s shot was too high to trouble the Paderborn keeper.
Holtmann hits the post, Sarenren Bazee straight at Zingerle
After the break, both teams appeared to have much more desire to push forwards and grab what would've been a winner. After Rani Khedira's header went just wide of the post (53'), Vargas twice looked dangerous but couldn't find a finish. The Swiss was just a hair's breadth away from Florian Niederlechner's cross (54'), before he blazed one over the bar after a good corner (58'). Augsburg then got lucky at the back. Holtmann fired goalwards, but his shot clattered against the upright (61').
This chance spurred Paderborn on. After a long ball forward, Sven Michel popped up free in front of Luthe. But the FCA 'keeper saved his team with some extremely quick reflexes (70'). During the dying embers of the game, Augsburg pushed hard to find the winner, and had chances to seal the deal before the final whistle. First, Noah Sarenren Bazee's close-range effort was straight at Zingerle, who reacted well (88'). Then, Carlos Gruezo fired from distance, but it went just wide (89'). Agony for Augsburg. It ended goalless at home.
It was FCA's second clean sheet in a row after their comfortable win against FC Schalke 04. FCA finish a busy week away at Hertha BSC (Saturday May 30, 20:30 CEST).
