Munich - It's Labor Day in Europe and the local football teams all put in an honest effort. FC Bayern rolled over FC Schalke 4-1 at the Allianz Arena Saturday afternoon, but they were not the only hardworking Munich or Bavarian football team this weekend. Here's your football wrap.
TSV 1860 München 2, Hertha BSC Berlin 1 - It's been a season of trials and tribulations - on and off the pitch - for the Lions. But this recent stretch and the match on Friday makes one wonder what could have been this season.
Defenders Necat Aygün and Stefan Buck scored in the second half as 1860 came from behind to beat promotion-bound Berlin 2-1 in front of 60,000 at Olympic Stadium. The Munich have not lost to Berlin in all six matches when matched up in the second division of the Bundesliga. They also won all their matches against both clubs from the capital city this season.
"Ultimately it was a well-earned victory," said Lions head coach Reiner Maurer. "It was important that we won today. All 11 players were involved and that was the key to our success."
The loss delayed a championship celebration for Berlin and opens the door for FC Augsburg to make a run at the second division championship. Augsburg wins in the last three matches starting Monday at FC Energie Cottbus and continued Berlin slipups will give FCA the championship. Regardless, Berlin will play in the top flight next year, something the Lions were hoping for and will have to wait one more season.
Goal scorer Buck put it best. "To earn promotion, a team has to be consistent throughout the season. Unfortunately that was not the case with us." 19 points in their last 9 matches is a positive sign that the team can build on for the remaining matches and for next season.
Munich will end their home schedule with their last Bavarian Derby Sunday. FC Ingolstadt who are now safe from relegation will travel south to the Allianz Arena. The two clubs drew 1-1 back in December at Audi Sport Park. Kickoff at 13:30.
Borussia Dortmund 2, 1.FC Nürnberg 0 - Dortmund beat Nuremberg to clinch the Bundesliga title for this season. It's their first title since the 2001-02 season. Head coach Jürgen Klopp built a young and talented team that were at the top of the table since matchday 10. The mediocrity beneath them in the table never threaten their title run.
The defeat was a setback for Nuremberg. Combined with 1.FSV Mainz's 3-0 win versus Eintracht Frankfurt, Der Club lost ground for the second Europa League berth. With two matches left, Mainz lead by 5 points and win at Schalke next week will secure their spot in the continental competition. Nuremberg host 1899 Hoffenheim hoping a win and help from Schalke can bring this race down to the final matchday.
FC Ingolstadt 0, FC Erzgebirge Aue 0 - Ingolstadt's well-earned point and losses by VfL Osnabrück and Red-White Oberhausen will keep FCI in the second division next season. Their match on Sunday against 1860 is no longer a must win but it's a derby and one has to throw out the records in such matches.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth 1, DSC Arminia Bielefeld 0 - Fürth kept their hopes for the promotion playoff spot alive with the win. VfL Bochum 1848 who currently hold a two point lead also won, crushing 1.FC Union Berlin 3-0. This race for the chance to earn promotion to the Bundesliga may also go down to the final matchday, as both teams will be playing teams lower in the table. A major slip up by either will make this one exciting. Stay tuned.
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Nuremberg host Augsburg while Bayern Munich travel to take on Kaiserslautern
Munich - Over the past season, the Bundesliga top flight has only had two Bavarian Derby matches per season. With the promotion of FC Augsburg, that number will triple this season. And the first one is this weekend, as the Augsburg side will travel to northern Bavaria (known as Franconia) to take on 1.FC Nürnberg.
Both teams started off the season well, Nuremberg with a 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin in week 1 and Augsburg two draws in their first matches in the top flight. Since then, three confidence...
Munich - Two games into their debut season in Germany's premier league and FC Augsburg remain unbeaten. The two points earned so far is the reward for the stalemate at home to Sport-Club Freiburg on the opening weekend, and away to Kaiserslautern last weekend. Further encouragement will be garnered by the fact they have scored 3 goals already and are putting up a real fight against more fancied sides.
This weekend sees head coach Jos Luhukay's side take on 1899 Hoffenheim who upset the bookmakers last weekend by beating the defending Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund at home by a...
Weekend wrap of local football action
Munich - If you listen carefully, that sound from the west is the city of Augsburg partying throughout the night and into the morning after their 2-1 pressure packed victory that earned them promotion into the Bundesliga for next season.
But they are not the only club celebrating a move up. Bayern Munich have their eyes set on improving their finish after clinching a spot in the Champions League. SpVgg Greuther Fürth have one more weekend to play for promotion. Here's your quick weekend wrap.
Bayern blowout St. Pauli, clinch Champions League berth -...
Local teams to fight for season and regional supremacy
Munich - Saving a season. The final derby. Earning a promotion. It's come down to the final two matches. It's crunch time.
Here's a quick preview of the biggest matches in Bavaria this weekend and the implications:
FC Bayern München at St. Pauli, Saturday, 15:30 - After losing every chance at hardware this season, FC Bayern Munich are scrambling for the last Champions League spot for the Bundesliga. After last week's win and Hanover's loss, the Reds hold a two point lead and have a +30 goal differential advantage. All Bayern...
Der Club move up table while Bayern gaining momentum in Bundesliga
easyCredit Stadium, Nuremberg - Alexander Esswein came into the match in the 60th minute and minutes later scored the only goal in the first Bavarian Derby of the Bundesliga season, as 1.FC Nürnberg beat FC Augsburg 1-0.
In a match void of any offensive flow, Esswein made a run on the left side, with some fancy dribbling turning around the defender Gibril Sankoh, created some space, and beat Augsburg goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch to the far post in the 76th minute.
"I am elated to have made that goal," said Esswein about his...
SGL Arena, Augsburg - FC Augsburg 07 went down 2-0 against a very well organised Hoffenheim outfit. Ryan Babel opened the scoring after just 5 minutes with a clinical strike on the edge of the penalty area after a mazy run. He coolly slotted the ball in low across goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch.
Augsburg were awarded a penalty in the 58th minute that Sascha Mölders took far too casually and was saved easily by Tom Starke who correctly guessed the direction to save it. At the other end Hoffenheim were also gifted a second-half penalty which Sejad Salihovic neatly tucked away for the...
Bundesliga 2nd Division Wrap
False start for 1860 There were great expectations for TSV 1860 München but the team fell short in the first match of the season against Eintracht Braunschweig with the result of 3-1.
The game started with a shock for the Munich Lions as Braunschweig scored in the 6th minute thanks to a header from the captain Dennis Kruppke, which allowed the loud home crowd to celebrate immediately. The long-praised defensive strength that 1860 displayed during the entire preseason vanished so quickly at the beginning of their first match.
After the goal Munich started to...
FC Augsburg earn promotion to Bundesliga with last gasp 2-1 win
impuls arena, Augsburg - "Jos we can win on mothers day!" were the words being held aloft on cards all around the sold out stadium. Word play on the name of Augsburg manager Jos Luhukay (pronounced 'yos') who´s team hosted FSV Frankfurt on a sunny afternoon in rural Bavaria.
Today was a historic day for FC Augsburg who for the first time in their history have reached the dizzy heights of the top flight of German league football. A win today was all that was needed to secure their promotion and despite conceding a penalty after...
Munich - This is the part of the season when teams feel the end is near. Either its been mediocre and both players and fans just want to end it now, take a summer break and hope next year is better. Or teams can feel the pressure of a whole season's worth of work going down in flames in just a few matches.
The Munich and regional football teams are involved in some pivotal matches this weekend, making me wish Labor Day was on a Monday to give us time to watch all the action. Here's your preview.
TSV 1860 München at Hertha BSC Berlin, Friday 18:00 - Hertha will earn...
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