Football singularity-Chapter 704 Augsburg
If you’re enjoying the story, consider voting to show your support. Feel free to join me on Discord to chat and share your thoughts: https://discord.gg/hTQJtj2K9U.
#More than 10 Chapters ahead on my Patreon: patreon.com/TrikoRexIf.
If you have a moment, leaving a review would mean a lot to me and helps me see who’s interested in the story’s future.
~~~
[2021-02-21 | WWK Arena, Augsburg | Bundesliga MW 22 | FC Augsburg vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Attendance: 0]
The empty stands of the WWK Arena were silent as both teams lined up. With the Champions League quarter-final draw looming and a packed fixture schedule ahead, Bosz had made significant changes to his starting eleven. Despite having had a good rest following their round of 16 clash, he wanted to give the rest of the squad a chance to pull their weight.
---
Formation - Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1):
GK: Lennart Grill
RB: Timothy Fosu-Mensah
CB: Aleksandar Dragović
CB: Tin Jedvaj
LB: Daley Sinkgraven
CDM: Exequiel Palacios
CDM: Nadiem Amiri
RW: Karim Bellarabi
CAM: Kerem Demirbay
LW: Demarai Gray
ST: Lucas Alario
Substitutes: Niklas Lomb, Lars Bender, Sven Bender, Julian Baumgartlinger, Florian Wirtz, Rakim Rex, Leon Bailey, Patrik Schick
Manager: Peter Bosz
---
Formation - FC Augsburg (3-4-2-1):
GK: Rafał Gikiewicz
CB: Jeffrey Gouweleeuw (c)
CB: Felix Uduokhai
CB: Reece Oxford
RWB: Robert Gumny
LWB: Iago
CDM: Tobias Strobl
CDM: Rani Khedira
RAM: Daniel Caligiuri
LAM: Ruben Vargas
ST: Florian Niederlechner
Substitutes: Tomas Koubek, Raphael Framberger, Mads Pedersen, Carlos Gruezo, Marek Suchy, André Hahn, Michael Gregoritsch, Alfred Finnbogason
Manager: Heiko Herrlich
---
*(FWEEET!)*
[14’]
The match started slowly, both sides probing without much intensity. Augsburg sat comfortably in the middle of the table with nothing but pride to play for this season. This was reflected in their setup as they seemed content to sit deep and absorb pressure.
Leverkusen’s rotated squad lacked the clinical edge of their usual starting eleven, passes going astray and movements not quite synchronised. In the 14th, Demirbay collected the ball in the centre circle, as he turned away from Khedira’s challenge. He spotted Gray making a run down the left and sprayed a diagonal pass, but Gumny read it well, stepping across to intercept.
"Leverkusen starting to test this Augsburg side," the commentator noted.
[23’] 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
Augsburg had their first real chance in the 23rd when Vargas picked up a loose ball in midfield. The Swiss winger drove forward, exploiting the space between Palacios and Amiri. He played a quick one-two with Niederlechner, getting into the box before firing low toward the near post.
Grill barley managed to drop down in time to palm the ball away with a strong hand. "Good save from the young keeper!" the commentator exclaimed. "Lennart Grill justifying his selection today."
[31’]
Leverkusen, who had been sluggish, flipped a switch around the 30th, finding their rhythm as they settled into the match. Bellarabi received the ball on the right touchline, using his experience to shift past Iago with a simple drop of the shoulder. He drove to the byline and whipped in a cross toward the penalty spot.
Alario rose between the centre-backs, meeting it with a powerful header. He couldnt really test Gikiewicz, who reacted brilliantly, tipping it over the bar with fingertips. "Lucas Alario so close!" the commentator roared. "Gikiewicz was better, though."
[42’]
Augsburg nearly punished the visitors, who struck their goal 8 times with attempts from long range, close range, and even in the air, but failed to convert. Caligiuri won the ball near the halfway line, bodying Amiri out of the way, and spotted Niederlechner making a diagonal run. His through ball split open Leverkusen’s defence, slipping past Dragović and Jedvaj.
Niederlechner burst through, one-on-one with Grill. The young goalkeeper rushed out, making himself big. Niederlechner tried to round him, but Grill stuck out a leg, trapping the rolling ball. Dragović scrambled back, booting the loose ball away before anyone could interfere.
"LENNART GRILL!" the commentator bellowed. "What a stoppage! Augsburg should be ahead!" That proved to be the last noteworthy event of the first half, as both teams played out the final minutes without creating an attacking opportunity.
*(FWEEET! FWEEET!)*
[HT: FC Augsburg 0-0 Bayer 04 Leverkusen]
~~~
*(FWEEET!)*
[45’]
The second half began with Leverkusen playing more direct football. Palacios and Amiri set the tempo, keeping possession through a few passing sequences as they probed for openings. Augsburg remained compact in their half, unwilling to risk too much.
[52’]
The stalemate didn’t last long, and the first chance came in the 52nd minute when Demirbay dropped deep to receive from Dragović. He shimmyed away from Strobl’s press and drove forward ten yards, then released Gray with a through ball. The English winger controlled it with his back to goal, feeling Gumny’s pressure.
He rolled past the defender with a feint and sharp turn, exploding into the box. Gouweleeuw slid across to block, but Gray had already cut the ball back to the edge of the box. Amiri arrived, striking it first-time with his right foot, trying to bend it around Gikiewicz.
"NADIEM AMIRI!" the commentator screamed. "...Oh, just wide! Inches away from the opener!" The ball flew past the post by the narrowest of margins.
[58’]
In the 58th, Bosz made his first change, bringing on Florian Wirtz for Kerem Demirbay. "Bosz is looking for some creativity in the middle of the field," the commentator noted. "They just haven’t been clinical in the final third."
The substitution paid dividends five minutes later when Wirtz played a clever one-two with Palacios, wiggling free from his marker. Dribbling at the Augsburg holding midfielders, he forced them to step up to defend him. But the young playmaker didn’t panic, performing a step-over and a La Croqueta, gliding past Rani Khedira.
Breaking free, he drew Oxford one fo Augsburgs central defenders out of position, then slipped a pass into the box. Alario pushed off Uduokhai and timed his run perfectly, staying onside by a hairsbreadth. He burst through, one-on-one with Gikiewicz and the Polish keeper rushed out with momentum.
Facing the keeper’s pressure, Alario stayed calm, tilting left before slotting it past him with his right foot. The keeper tried to get a foot to it, but simply couldn’t touch it. "GOOOOOAL!" the commentator roared. "LUCAS ALARIO! Leverkusen finally break through! What a pass from Florian Wirtz!"
[FC Augsburg 0-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen — Lucas Alario 63’]
[68’]
After conceeding Augsburg responded by throwing more bodies forward. Herrlich made a double substitution, bringing on André Hahn and Michael Gregoritsch for Caligiuri and Strobl. The formation shifted to a more aggressive 3-4-3.
[72’]
The hosts nearly equalised in the 72nd when Vargas picked up the ball on the left. He cut inside Fosu-Mensah with ease and fired a curling shot toward the top corner. Grill flew through the air like a dolphin, getting a palm to it to tip it over the bar with an outstretched hand.
"LENNART GRILL AGAIN!" the commentator bellowed. "The young goalkeeper is having a great game!"
[76’]
Bosz made his second change, withdrawing Gray for Leon Bailey. The Jamaican immediately got to work, collecting the ball on the right and burning past Iago with pure pace. He drove to the byline and cut the ball back toward the penalty spot.
Alario attacked it, but Uduokhai got there first, clearing for a corner. The corner was delivered by Wirtz, curling into the six-yard box. Bodies rose in a mass of limbs—Dragović got a glancing header, but Gikiewicz palmed it away.
The rebound fell to Jedvaj, who struck it on the volley from twelve yards. The ball crashed against the crossbar with a sickening *CLANG*, bouncing back into play. Bellarabi pounced on it, side-footing toward goal, but Gouweleeuw threw himself in the way, smothering it desperately.
"HOW DID THAT NOT GO IN?!" the commentator screamed. "Augsburg living dangerously!"
[87’]
Bosz made his final change, bringing on Julian Baumgartlinger for Palacios. It was more a substitution to waste time rather than one to affect the game. Still, Julian’s introduction brought stability into the Leverkusen midfield with the midfielder getting into the thick of the battles. In the 88th minute, Augsburg had one last real chance when Gregoritsch rose highest from a cross, powering a header goalward.
It was too central, though, and Grill merely had to palm the ball down to kill its momentum before dropping to smooth it. "Lennart Grill with another crucial save," the commentator said. "He’s been outstanding today."
[90+2’]
The fourth official raised his board, signalling three minutes of added time. Leverkusen kept the ball in Augsburg’s half, playing keep-away as the hosts chased shadows. Bailey received it on the wing, turning back toward Amiri rather than driving forward.
The Colombian played it to Baumgartlinger, who knocked it to Jedvaj. The Croatian centre-back played it back to Grill. "Game management at its best for Leverkusen," the commentator observed. "They’re not taking any risks."
[90+4’]
Augsburg won the ball back one last time, launching it forward desperately. Niederlechner rose for the header, but Dragović was stronger, nodding it back to Grill. The goalkeeper caught it, then immediately drop-kicked it long.
*(FWEEET! FWEEET! FWEEEEEET!)*
[FT: FC Augsburg 0-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen]
"It’s over!" the commentator announced. "Leverkusen grind out the victory thanks to Lucas Alario’s second-half goal. Not their most convincing performance, but three points nonetheless, no complaints from me."
.
.
.
.
To Be Continued...
