17th September, 2022
Bayern Munich suffered a shock defeat at Augsburg, going down 1-0 to make it four games without a win in the Bundesliga.
A second-half goal from Mergim Berisha was enough to give Enrico Maassen’s team the win over their Bavarian neighbors on Saturday.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern looked listless, creating several half chances but proving unable to beat the inspired Rafal Gikiewicz in the Augsburg goal. Manuel Neuer went as close as anyone for Bayern, the goalkeeper sent forward in the closing moments and seeing Gikiewicz palm away his powerful header.
The defending Bundesliga champions head into the international break having not won a league game since their 7-0 thrashing of Bochum on August 21.
The first real chance came when Florian Niederlechner eased Matthijs de Ligt out of the way when chasing a long bail before hitting his shot into the ground, making it an easy save for Manuel Neuer.
Gikiewicz at the other end denied Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane with smart stops, before Niederlechner tested Neuer after Dayot Upamecano headed the ball straight to the Augsburg forward.
The visitors should have taken the lead in the 33rd minute when a neat move from the left ended with Thomas Muller laying the ball off to Jamal Musiala, but the youngster could only steer his effort wide of Gikiewicz’s left-hand post.
The best chance of the first half fell to Augsburg though, with Ermedin Demirovic playing in Iago down the left. His cross found an unmarked Maximilian Bauer in the middle of the penalty area, but the centre-back sent his header over the bar.
It was still somewhat against the run of play when the hosts took the lead in the 59th minute, with a long free-kick finding Iago at the far post, and he guided the ball into the middle with his knee, allowing Berisha to calmly slot home low to Neuer’s left.
Muller should have equalised for Bayern straight away when played in down the right by Sane, but his shot was deflected behind by the excellent Gikiewicz. The goalkeeper saved again from Sane when through on goal with just under 20 minutes remaining, and then at the death from Neuer, as he preserved a clean sheet to deny the frustrated visitors.
What does it mean? Augs-bogey team
Nagelsmann has beaten Augsburg more often than any other side in the Bundesliga (10 times), but this was his second trip to Augsburg Arena with Bayern, and both have ended in defeat.
Going into the game, this was the league’s best attack (Bayern, 19 goals) against the joint-worst (Augsburg, four goals, same as Bochum).
Football is nothing if not unpredictable, though.
No Fuggerstadter fear
Augsburg gave as good as they got, showing they were not intimidated as they matched Bayern for shots in the first half (nine), with seven of those coming from inside the penalty area.
Despite the shot count ending 19-11 in Bayern’s favour, Augsburg recorded a higher expected goals rate according to Opta (1.56-1.52).
Bayern’s Bundesliga bother
They may have recorded impressive back-to-back 2-0 wins against Inter and Barcelona in the Champions League, but domestically, this is an unusual wobble for Bayern having now drawn three and lost one of their last four.
They last endured a longer wait for a win in the league in 2001-02 under Ottmar Hitzfeld (seven games) and will be hoping not to extend it when they return to action in just under two weeks.
What’s next?
After the international break, Augsburg have a trip to Schalke on October 2, while Bayern host Bayer Leverkusen two days earlier on September 30.