Roger Schmidt made four changes to the side that faced Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga at the weekend: New signing Aleksandar Dragovic, Wendell, Lars Bender and Hakan Calhanoglu replaced Ömer Toprak, Tin Jedvaj, Julian Baumgartlinger and Julian Brandt in the starting line-up. In contrast to Jedvaj, the long-term absentee Stefan Kießling returned to the bench.
From the first minutes of the game, the Werkself showed greater ambition than the visitors from Augsburg. However, the Schmidt team found it difficult to make headway against a well-organised Augsburg defence and there were few exciting moments. The superiority of Bayer 04 produced chances but no goals. With five minutes on the clock, Chicharito was just beaten to the ball by Martin Hinteregger and the impressive Kevin Volland went close on 23 minutes with a header from a Calhanoglu corner that went just past the upright.
Out of luck in front of goal
The Werkself refused to be downhearted as they continue to press for the opening goal. Volland put in a cross and Chicharito rose highest but his header on 29 minutes did not cause the Augsburg keeper Marwin Hitz any real trouble. Ten minutes later, a Volland free kick to the far post caused havoc in the Augsburg defence but Hitz and co. were able to clear their lines and avoid going a goal down. With two minutes to go before half-time Charles Aránguiz had the best chance when Volland set him up to shoot from 15 yards out. The Chilean fired in a shot but the ball sailed over the bar. It looked like the Werkself were unable to take the lead.
There was little sign of attacking intention from the visitors: The team coached by Dirk Schuster primarily focused on defence as keeping a clean sheet appeared to be the main part of the game plan. Bernd Leno was tested once in the first half with a long-range effort from Augsburg's Dong Won Ji but the Bayer 04 keeper made a comfortable save on 31 minutes.
The match continued in the same vein after the restart. Bayer 04 appeared determined to win the game but the visitors continued to close down space. Chicharito (46'), Bender (50') and Calhanoglu (56') tried their luck from outside the box but there efforts on goal lacked accuracy. After the hour mark Roger Schmidt brought on the recovered Kießling and Brandt in place of Chicharito and Calhanoglu – there was a clear desire to launch the final attack.
Hitz makes heroic save to keep it goalless
A through ball from substitute Kießling found Volland in the box and he was brought down by Jeffrey Gouweleeuw. Referee Dr Jochen Drees did not hesitate and immediately pointed to the spot. Aránguiz grabbed the ball but his penalty reflected the efforts of his teammates as he pulled his shot wide of the right-hand post on 72 minutes – a huge chance to take the lead disappeared. After Chicharito's failure to score against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday it was the second penalty miss in succession. In contrast the last game the opposition failed to score. Leno kept out the best chance for the visitors when he saved a point-blank effort from Jan Moravec to keep his team from going behind on 75 minutes.
Just as the game seemed to be heading for a draw Kießling had a great opportunity in added time put the Black and Red's in the lead. Brandt sent in an excellent cross from the right but Kießling’s powerful header was brilliantly saved on the line by the Augsburg keeper hits, thus saving his team from defeat. Lady Luck again deserted the Werkself and they had to settle for a point in the end. Saturday's match against FSV Mainz 05 (15.30 CET) gives Bayer 04 a chance to quickly get back to winning ways.
Match stats
Bayer 04: Leno - Henrichs, Tah, Dragovic, Henrichs - Bender (Pohjanpalo 76’), Aránguiz - Volland, Kampl - Calhanoglu (Brandt 65’), Chicharito (Kießling 65’)
FC Augsburg: Hitz - Verhaegh, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Stafylidis - Kacar, (Janker 85,) Baier - Ji, Moravec (Halil Altintop 82’), Koo (Max 46’) - Finnbogason
Goals:
Referee: Dr. Jochen Drees (Münster-Sarmsheim)
Booked: Verhaegh, Gouweleeuw
Attendance: 24,097
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