Lukas Mühl saves point for Nuremberg in Augsburg
Augsburg looked to be on course for all three points at the WWK Arena against Bavarian rivals Nuremberg, but Lukas Mühl had other ideas, coming up with a late header to snatch a 2-2 draw for Michael Köllner’s men.
Augsburg 2-2 Nuremberg
Goals: 1-0 Finnbogason (11’), 1-1 Fuchs (54’), 2-1 Schmid (59’), 2-2 Mühl (88’)
Having paid their respects following the recent passing of chairman Peter Bircks, Augsburg could barely have got off to a better start, with Alfred Finnbogason meeting Jonathan Schmid’s cross to steer them into an 11th-minute lead. Already off to their best-ever start in a German top-flight campaign, Die Fuggerstädter were dominant against their Bavarian rivals and could have pulled further clear when Jeffrey Gouweleeuw got free in the Nuremberg box, but his acrobatic attempt ended up safely in Christian Mathenia’s hands. Philipp Max then spun a free-kick goalward which Robert Bauer was on hand to clear, and Patrick Ittrich’s half-time whistle went with the visitors the significantly more relieved of the two sides to hear it.
Augsburg coach Manuel Baum brought Felix Götze on for the more attack-minded Ja-Cheol Koo for the second half and Nuremberg readily accepted the hosts’ invitation to come forward, with Virgil Misidjan unlucky to find the side-netting after Hanno Behren’s header was hooked off the line by Mathenia’s opposite number, Andreas Luthe. Parity was restored a minute later when Misidjan turned provider, teeing up Alexander Fuchs, who fired high into the home goal. Der Club’s joy was short-lived, though, with Schmid making it 2-1 with a fine free-kick that nestled into the top corner soon after. Second-half substitute Federico Palacios saw a late chance go begging for Nuremberg, but there was still time for them to snatch a share of the points, with Mühl’s header enough to seal a late 2-2 draw.
Match stats
- Finnbogason has scored six goals in six games since he returned to Augsburg’s first team following his knee injury.The Icelander is Augsburg’s record Bundesliga goalscorer with 28, four more than Tobias Werner.Since being repurposed as a right-back, Schmid has assisted twice in six games. Previously, the Frenchman had three assists in two seasons with Augsburg. His goal was his first in 41 outings.With 15 points and a plus-three goal difference, Augsburg are off to their best ever Bundesliga start.Fuchs’ and Mühl’s equalisers were their first ever Bundesliga goals.Nuremberg’s last Bundesliga away win came at Augsburg in February 2014. Josip Drmic, now of Borussia Mönchengladbach, scored in a 1-0 victory.
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Line-ups
Augsburg: Luthe – Schmid, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Max – Khedira, Baier (c) – Richter (Hahn 71’), Koo (Götze 46’), Caiuby – Finnbogason
Unused subs: Leneis, Stafylidis, Jensen, Framberger, Danso
Coach: Manuel Baum
Nuremberg: Mathenia – Bauer, Margreitter, Mühl, Leibold – Misidjan, Fuchs (Knöll 84’), Petrak, Behrens (c) (Rhein 73’), Kerk (Palacios 57’) – Zrelak
Unused subs: Bredlow, Kubo, Pereira, Erras
Absentees: Ishak (knee), Lippert (knee), Valentini (thigh), Löwen (knee)
Coach: Michael Köllner
As it happened