Marin Ljubicic's last-gasp equaliser denies Augsburg a win after Alexis Claude-Maurice's stunner
Augsburg missed the chance to put some breathing space between themselves and Mainz with a 1-1 draw at home to Union Berlin on Matchday 17, conceding a late equaliser from Marin Ljubicic after Alexis Claude-Maurice had opened the scoring with a magnificent effort.
Augsburg 1-1 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Claude-Maurice 45+6', 1-1 Ljubicic 90+2' (assist: Ilić)
Red card: Köhn 89'
Augsburg entered this rare Thursday night Bundesliga fixture in desperate need of points after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in their first match of 2026. Manuel Baum's side had accumulated 10 defeats from their opening 16 matches, leaving them hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone.
In contrast, Steffen Baumgart's Union Berlin arrived at the WWK Arena in good spirits, having recently extended his contract after guiding the capital club to a respectable ninth place. The visitors were unbeaten in their previous three matches and had lost just three of their last ten fixtures overall.
Union control undone by Claude-Maurice magic
The opening half was a disjointed affair punctuated by stoppages. Union looked the more composed side in possession, creating the better opportunities as the hosts struggled to gain a foothold. András Schäfer came close with a header in the 19th minute, while Oliver Burke squandered Union's best chance of the half, firing wide from a promising position after being played through on goal in the 29th minute.
Just when it seemed the sides would head into the break level, Alexis Claude-Maurice produced a moment of magic deep into first-half stoppage time. When a cross from Dimitrios Giannoulis was cleared to him 27 meters from goal, Claude-Maurice struck a thunderous shot that flew in off the underside of the crossbar, leaving Frederik Rønnow with no chance.
Hosts push for second as Union chase equaliser
Augsburg emerged with greater purpose after the interval, with Claude-Maurice nearly doubling his tally in the 58th minute when his free-kick struck the post. The hosts were much improved and came close again through Anton Kade, whose shot from close range was brilliantly saved by Rønnow.
Baumgart responded by introducing a trio of substitutes in the 64th minute, with Andrej Ilić, Aljoscha Kemlein and Livan Burcu all entering the fray. The changes injected fresh energy into Union's attack, but Augsburg's defence held firm as the match entered its closing stages.
Late drama as ten-man Union snatch point
The match took a dramatic turn in the 89th minute when Derrick Köhn was shown a straight red card for catching Samuel Essende in the face while attempting to clear the ball. With Union reduced to 10 men, Augsburg appeared certain to secure a vital three points in their battle against relegation.
However, the visitors had other ideas. In the second minute of stoppage time, Alex Král's cross was headed clear but only as far as Ilić, who sent the ball back into the danger area where Marin Ljubicic was on hand to prod home from close range. It marked the fifth consecutive match in which a Union substitute had scored, securing a valuable point for Baumgart's men despite their numerical disadvantage and extending their unbeaten run to four matches.
Man of the Match: Alexis Claude-Maurice
Claude-Maurice was the standout performer in a match where quality attacking moments were at a premium. His spectacular long-range strike just before half-time demonstrated exceptional technique and vision, with the ball travelling at nearly 94 km/h before finding the net via the underside of the crossbar.
The Augsburg midfielder wasn't satisfied with just one moment of brilliance, coming agonisingly close to doubling his tally with a free-kick that struck the post in the 58th minute. Beyond his goal threat, Claude-Maurice showed composure in possession under intense pressure, being the most pressed player in the match (14 times) while still maintaining an effective presence in Augsburg's midfield throughout.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Augsburg 0.5 - Union Berlin 1.8
Fastest player: Derrick Köhn (Union Berlin), 33.68 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Alexis Claude-Maurice (Augsburg), 2.34 percent
Most pressed player: Alexis Claude-Maurice (Augsburg), 14 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Anton Kade (Augsburg), +2.08
Fantasy Heroes: Leopold Querfeld (Union Berlin, 255 Points), Alexis Claude-Maurice (Augsburg, 245 Points), Noahkai Banks (Augsburg, 160 Points)
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