Wolfsburg, Mainz & Freiburg win
©IMAGO
For Steffen Baumgart, his debut as Bundesliga coach of 1. FC Union Berlin was a failure. After the bankruptcy at the DFB sports court during the week, the Köpenickers also lost 0:2 (0:1) at the start of the new football year in the first game under Bo Svensson’s successor at 1. FC Heidenheim and are slipping further and further into the Relegation battle.
In the Bundesliga top group, however, Eintracht Frankfurt consolidated third place with a 1-0 (1-0) win at FC St. Pauli behind leaders Bayern Munich and champions Bayer Leverkusen, who started with a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Friday. Behind them, 1. FSV Mainz 05 climbed to fourth place in the Champions League with a 2-0 (1-0) win against bottom team VfL Bochum.
SC Freiburg is also doing well in the race and is sixth after the 3:2 (2:0) against Holstein Kiel. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is still not getting going under new coach Christian Ilzer and is in acute danger of relegation after the 0-1 (0-1) draw against VfL Wolfsburg.
In Heidenheim, winter newcomer Frans Krätzig (17th minute) and Adrian Beck (83rd) sealed the defeat for the Berliners, who, even under former HSV coach Baumgart, were unable to end the negative series of ten competitive games without a win. Union professional Tom Rothe was shown a red card because of an emergency brake (37th).
With 16 points, the Iron Men are only three points ahead of the relegation place. If the DFB Federal Court overturns the 0-2 defeat at the green table in the scandalous game against VfL Bochum (1-1), at least one point would be added. Union had lodged an objection against the DFB sports court’s assessment.
Star striker Omar Marmoush may have made his farewell gift for Eintracht with his goal (32nd) at FC St. Pauli. The Egyptian is about to transfer to Manchester City. Frankfurt’s sports director Markus Krösche has already confirmed that a club has contacted the Hessians about Marmoush. The striker’s market value is estimated at 60 million euros.
In Mainz, Jonathan Burkardt – a possible Marmoush replacement in Frankfurt – scored twice for the hosts (23rd and 69th). This means that VfL remains bottom of the table, while Holstein Kiel is also in a relegation zone. The North Germans’ defeat in Freiburg was sealed by an own goal from Nicolai Remberg (23′) and goals from Christian Günter (38′) and Vincenzo Grifo (74′). Phil Harres’ two Kiel goals (85th and 90th) came too late.
In Hoffenheim, Mohamed Amoura gave Wolfsburg three points. This left the hosts without a win in their eighth competitive game in a row under Ilzer. The Austrian, who replaced Pellegrino Matarazzo, only celebrated a victory in his first game.