Elversberg survived a seven-goal Bundesliga afternoon to beat Augsburg 4-3 at the URSAPHARM-Arena an der Kaiserlinde. Lukas Petkov, Lasse Günther, Maximilian Rohr and Frederik Schmahl built the winning margin on Matchday 6, before Augsburg made the final minutes chaotic.
Key takeaways
- Elversberg led 3-0 after 28 minutes, with Petkov, Günther and Rohr on target.
- Augsburg scored twice from penalties through Fabian Rieder and Michael Gregoritsch.
- Schmahl’s 89th-minute finish proved decisive after Mert Kömür had brought Augsburg back within one goal.
- Noel Futkeu struck the bar with a stoppage-time penalty for Elversberg.
- VAR overturned an Augsburg penalty claim and disallowed an Elversberg goal for offside.
Elversberg’s fast start and first-half disruption
Elversberg were ahead inside four minutes. Chrislain Matsima was penalised for handball after a VAR review, and Finn Dahmen saved Petkov’s spot-kick. Petkov then scored from close range in the same minute.
Maurice Krattenmacher supplied the second on a counterattack in the seventh minute, with Günther driving a right-footed finish into the top corner. Augsburg had set-piece pressure but could not turn it into a goal. Arijon Ibrahimovic was denied, Chrislain Matsima headed narrowly wide and Marius Wolf also missed from a Hennes Behrens cross.
Rohr made it 3-0 on 28 minutes, heading Felix Keidel’s corner into the right side of the net. Elversberg had to reshape before the break. Noah Darvich went off injured for Schmahl in the 40th minute, while Luca Sirch replaced Jan Gyamerah.
Augsburg found a route back in first-half stoppage time. A handball by Rohr was reviewed by VAR and Rieder converted the resulting penalty low to Nicolas Kristof’s left.
Late penalties, VAR calls and a final Augsburg push
Augsburg made three interval changes, sending on Anton Kade, Gregoritsch and Jeffrey Gouweleeuw for Wolf, Rodrigo Ribeiro and Juma Bah. The visitors applied sustained pressure after the restart. Ibrahimovic, Rieder, Robin Fellhauer and Gregoritsch all had attempts stopped or blocked.
Elversberg remained dangerous. Krattenmacher forced Dahmen into a save, while David Mokwa narrowly missed. Augsburg reduced the deficit again in the 76th minute when Gregoritsch converted a penalty awarded after Lukas Pinckert fouled Behrens.
Raif Adam replaced Krattenmacher and appeared to score shortly after coming on, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Augsburg were then denied their own penalty when a handball decision involving Gregoritsch was overturned.
Schmahl gave Elversberg a fourth goal in the 89th minute, turning in Lukas Petkov’s delivery from close range. Kömür replied immediately for Augsburg, finishing Behrens’ cross in the 90th minute.
There was still time for further drama. Felix Keidel left injured in stoppage time and Amara Condé came on. Elversberg won a penalty when Calvin Brackelmann fouled Futkeu, but Futkeu hit the crossbar. Augsburg then forced a series of late blocks and saves, with Massengo, Matsima and Rieder unable to find the equaliser.
Bookings went to Elversberg’s Keidel, Pinckert, Kristof and Schmahl, and to Augsburg’s Massengo, Rodrigo Ribeiro and Matsima.
