After less than 20 minutes, FC Augsburg was two goals behind in the Bundesliga against 1. FC Heidenheim on Sunday (October 22, 2023). In the end, only FCA celebrated at 5:2 (3:2) – also because someone who had previously hardly played a role came through.
Tim Kleindienst scored the first goal for Heidenheim in the 17th minute after an assist from Adrian Beck, seconds later his teammate Jan-Niklas Beste also scored from close range (18th). In the first game under new coach Jess Thorup, Augsburg didn’t give up, on the contrary: the team’s reaction was impressive.
FCA was leading at the break because Phillip Tietz (29′), Mads Pedersen (41′) and Ermedin Demirovic (42′) scored one after the other. In the second half, Augsburg’s central defender Felix Uduokhai (64th) was successful, then Elvis Rexhbecaj converted a penalty (88th).
It was a historic result for FC Augsburg, who after their second win of the season in the table with eight points overtook opponents Heidenheim (seven points) and are now tenth. FCA had never before scored five goals in an away game in the Bundesliga.
Augsburg’s Jensen impresses with three assists
The man of the match was, unsurprisingly, a man from Augsburg: Fredrik Jensen, 26, has been playing for FCA since 2018 and was rarely a regular player. This season he played 70 minutes before the game in Heidenheim, spread over four appearances in the Bundesliga. Jensen hadn’t even been in the starting line-up yet.
Coach Thorup still gave him his trust and he won’t have regretted it. Jensen prepared Tietz’s goal with a corner. Tietz cleverly broke free at the second post and scored with a volley. Later, Uduokhai also scored from a corner from Jensen.
And Demirovic’s goal, which gave FCA a lead that was hardly thought possible at the break, was set up with a flat cross.
Pedersen hits with the outside of his foot, which is worth seeing
Jensen was only not involved in two Augsburg goals. Shortly before the break, the midfielder from Finland saw from a distance how left-back Pedersen scored with the outside of his foot.
And when Rexhbecaj converted a penalty shortly before the end of the game, Jensen was already substituted. The penalty was preceded by a handball by Heidenheim’s Tim Sierleben.
Heidenheim in Gladbach, Augsburg welcomes Wolfsburg
1. FC Heidenheim will be hunting for points against the Fohlen on matchday 9 (Saturday, October 28th, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Augsburg is hosting the Wolves at the same time.