Matchday 2: FC Augsburg 1 - 1. FC Union Berlin

Our beautiful goal-scoring and goal-creating Sebastians. source: Union Berlin 

FC Augsburg: Koubek; Max, Jedvaj, Lichtsteiner, Khedira; Baier, Gruezo (Oxford), Vargas (Richter); Hahn, Gregoritsch, Niederlechner (Finnbogason)

1. FC Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Trimmel, Subotic, Schlotterbeck (Sent off 84), Lenz; Prömel, Andrich, Ingvartsen (Andersson); Becker (Abdullahi), Ujah (Polter), Bülter

Goals:

Augsburg - Vargas (Niederlechner), 59
Union - Andersson (Polter), 80

In preseason predictions of how the 2019-2020 Bundesliga table would look at the end of the season, Union Berlin and Augsburg both featured prominently in the relegation positions. While Augsburg have been in the top flight since 2011, and even featured in the Europa League in 2015-2016, recent seasons have shown a slow but steady decline. They finished in 15th place last season, just above Stuttgart in the relegation playoff position (and we all know how that turned out for Stuttgart). Like Hamburg before them, who spent several seasons just barely squeaking by before finally succumbing to the siren song of the 2. Bundesliga, a near-future relegation seems almost inevitable for Augsburg.

So, needless to say, Union Berlin’s second-ever game in the top flight -- and first away match of the season -- was already looking like a crucial relegation six-pointer for the boys from Köpenick, especially after their decidedly unpleasant start at home last week against Leipzig. For a team that only won three away games last season, winning was probably always going to be a bit too much to ask. Yet it was key to get at least one point at Augsburg, both for increasing Union’s chances of top-flight survival and to end any prospective talk of how long it would take for the team to secure their first-ever Bundesliga point.

Fortunately, the proverbial monkey was kicked off the team’s backs before it could truly make itself comfortable. For much of the match Union appeared to not only be a match for Augsburg, but the better side on the pitch. They even looked like they might snatch all three points towards the end of the game, but for a red card that destroyed their momentum and ensured they had to spend the final moments of the game locking down that all-too-valuable point. (More on that later.)

Urs Fischer made four changes to the starting XI from the previous week, with a formation that resembled more of a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 than the 4-3-3 that served Union so well last season. Injured midfielder Christian Gentner was dropped from the squad altogether, while Neven Subotic stepped in for Marvin Friedrich in center of defense. Anthony Ujah and Marcus Ingvartsen started together up top, with Sebastian Andersson moving to the bench.

The two strikers were flanked by Marius Bülter and Sheraldo Becker, the latter of whom replaced Suleiman Abdullahi in the starting lineup and showed once again why he probably should have started last week against Leipzig. The Dutch winger from Den Haag is creative on the ball and off, wins challenges fearlessly and is one of the fastest players on a squad known more for its size than its speed. Union have many talented goalscorers, but few players who can run the ball up the field and easily get into a dangerous position the way Becker can.

Both Augsburg and Union began their Bundesliga campaigns losing by four goals to teams with title hopes, so it was natural for both teams to come out a bit more cautiously against each other. After shipping five goals to Borussia Dortmund, Augsburg promptly signed veteran defender and classic hard man Stephan Lichtsteiner and also added Tin Jedvaj on loan from Leverkusen to shore up their defense. As could be expected, both featured heavily in keeping the match scoreless in the first half. Becker and Ujah combined well to create some dangerous chances, but a combination of decent defense and sloppy finishing kept Union off the scoresheet, while on the other end of the field Gikiewicz acted like Gikiewicz.

Both teams began to play more freely in the second half, which led to more goalscoring opportunities. Unfortunately, the deadlock was broken by Augsburg first when Florian Niederlechner -- who scored in the first minute last week against Dortmund before his team proceeded to collapse under the pressure -- sent a cross to Ruben Vargas for a clean finish from the young Swiss winger.

However, Urs Fischer didn’t waste any time in making some changes. The first was the most questionable, and a reverse of the sub that nearly changed the game last week for Union: Becker was removed for Abdullahi in the 67th minute. Yet while Abdullahi still looks a bit rusty in my view, his fresh legs immediately led to more opportunities for Union.

But it was the double sub a few moments later that earned Union their first goal and point in the top flight, and it’s no wonder why when you see the names on the scoresheet. The two strikers named Sebastian, Polter and Andersson, replaced Ujah and Ingvartsen in the 71st minute. Less than ten minutes later, Polter stole the ball and passed it to Andersson, who finished coolly into the bottom corner of the net. I was so overcome with joy in the moment that I got my Sebastians confused and assumed Andersson had in fact assisted Polter, but in the end, who really cares? Both strikers have proven to be reliable men in front of goal for Union, and I’d love to see the two of them start together up top against Dortmund at home next Saturday. (After all, Polter has scored on Dortmund before…)

After the goal Union looked like a team reborn, but before they could really start pressing for a winner center back Keven Schlotterbeck launched into a dangerous two-footed challenge on Niederlechner -- his former teammate at Freiburg -- and was rightfully sent off. I don’t think there was any intent in the challenge, mind you, but when you go wildly sliding around with your studs up you have to expect the worst from the referee.

Needless to say, I have not been impressed by Schlotterbeck so far this season, and am struggling to see whatever it is that Urs Fischer sees in him that earned him a spot in the starting XI in three straight matches if you include Union’s 6-0 victory of Germania Halberstadt in the DFB-Pokal (Schlotterbeck scored the opener in that game, to be fair). However, the red card ensures that we’ll see a different center back pairing against Dortmund, likely Subotic with Friedrich as Hubner continues to come back from injury.

Unable to make any subs to shore up the defense, Union still managed to hang on a secure the point. A shirt-pull on Polter in the box led to cries for a penalty from the away side in injury time, but to no avail. Hopefully the inability to secure all three won’t come back to bite them at the end of the season. Still, it’s a big boost to the team’s self-confidence as another incredible challenge awaits them next week at home.