1-0 defeat away to Schalke
Curious streak continues for FCA
First Team
11.04.2021, 17:30
FC Augsburg were beaten 1-0 by Schalke on Sunday afternoon. An early goal for the hosts proved to be the difference. Just like after the previous two wins, a defeat followed for the Fuggerstädters.
Heiko Herrlich saw no reason to change the starting XI from last week’s win against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Raphael Framberger and Ruben Vargas, who were both taken off with injuries last time out, were fit and ready to play.
After taking an early lead last week against Hoffenheim, FCA were on the wrong end of an early opener in Gelsenkirchen as Can Bozdogan’s low cross was spilled by Rafal Gikiewicz to the feet of Suat Serdar who poked the ball in from close range (4’). Herrlich’s men needed some time to settle after the early setback, as Klaas Jan Huntelaar almost made it two after eight minutes, but they slowly found their rhythm and began to press Schalke in their own half. In the final third, however, Augsburg lacked the precision to pose a real goal threat.
Marco Richter and Ruben Vargas had the best chances to equalise in the first half, but both put their shots off target. At the other end, Schalke were equally harmless for the most part. The hosts’ best chance to double the lead fell to goalscorer Serdar, but he misplaced his effort (36’).
Fährmann saves Richter’s scissor kick
FCA remained largely in control in the second half, but struggled to find a way through Schalke’s defence. After missing his first chance of the half in the 52nd minute, Vargas had another chance in the 56th, but his shot from a tight angle was blocked by Ralf Fährmann.
On the whole, the Fuggerstädters lacked the creativity to break down Schalke’s defensive lines. It took until the final 15 minutes for the next FCA chance. Marco Richter’s overhead scissor kick was destined for the far top corner and would have gone down as one of the goals of the season but for Ralf Fährmann, who parried it out for a corner. At the other end, Gikiewicz was called upon to keep FCA in contention – Huntelaar’s free-kick was tipped away from the top corner by the Polish shot-stopper. FCA threw everything forward in the closing stages but failed to trouble Fährmann.
Schalke saw the game out to celebrate their second win of the season, leaving FCA with a frustrating statistic to stomach: The previous three wins against Mainz (1-0), Gladbach (3-1) and Hoffenheim (2-1) have all been followed by defeats.
