On the fourth day of training camp in Algorfa, FC Augsburg could look forward to a doubleheader of friendlies against 1. FC Union Berlin. The first match between the sides ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat for FCA.

Iago, Reece Oxford, Niklas Dorsch, Mergim Berisha and Noah Sarenren Bazee were all training individually and did not travel to Campoamor, with head coach Enrico Maaßen able to give the remaining players plenty of playing time. The same was true for the Berliners, as former FCA man Rani Khedira started in central midfield.

Under sunny skies in Spain, both teams looked to press each other high up the pitch. FCA’s first chance on goal came from Ruben Vargas, who sent a shot over the bar (6’) before Robert Gumny also missed the target from inside the box (12’). Maaßen was forced into a change in the 19th minute, as academy player Davide Dell’Erba came on for Elvis Rexhbecaj after he had picked up a knock.

FCA were awarded several set pieces in the minutes that followed, but FCU were able to defend strongly against all of them. Vargas tried sending in a free-kick from the left side, but Union goalkeeper Lennard Grill was able to pick it out as the two teams headed into the dressing rooms with the score still deadlocked at 0-0.

Penalty to Union

Maaßen brought on another player from the U23s, Daniel Katic, at the break to replace captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw. In the 56th minute, Union were awarded a penalty after Dell’Erba was judged to have handled the ball inside the box. Jordan Siebatcheu stepped up to slot home the opener.

FCA continued to attack in the closing stages of the game, with Arne Maier’s free kick from the edge of the box sailing just over the bar (71’). Eight minutes later, Maier broke down the right wing but Khedira was able to clear the ball on the goal-line (76’). As the final whistle blew, FCA had to accept defeat in their first friendly against the fellow Bundesliga side from Berlin.

FCA: Gikiewicz – Gumny, Gouweleeuw (46’ Katic), Uduokhai, Pedersen – Baumgartlinger, Rexhbecaj (19’ Dell’Erba) – Maier, Vargas – Jensen (82’ Kömür), Demirović

Goal: 0-1 Jordan (56’)

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