Match Report: FC Augsburg (A)

Pre-match

Last game of the season, and for me at least a first away game. Ever, in fact.

A group of us planned this back in January, when we were in something of a tailspin. But having frankly pissed the run in, this was a game with nothing attached, a carefree jaunt down to Bayern.

That meant a bleary-eyed start to an early train out of Berlin, one in my naiveté I assumed would be a sedate 4.5hrs down to Augsburg.

We had bought along some light refreshments for the trip. When I raised an eyebrow at an enthusiastic UBIer pulling a pack of cold beers out of the REWE chiller at around 7am he looked back at me and said "You're right, I should get two packs."

It's incredible how fucked up people can get at 8am if they really try, as anyone who has been to Newcastle airport can attest.

There were hundreds of us on the ICE in festive mood, the carriage next to us even putting up some balloons for their train party.

While some of us breakfasted on beers, I managed to hold out until what I felt sure was lunchtime and was surprised to find was in fact 9am.

Our group, and pretty much all of the travelling fans, with notable exceptions, were a model of civic virtue. But I'm not sure the pensioners sightseeing trip to Halle or the hen do going to Munich particularly expected quite so many shirtless dancing men (thankfully for everyone, those men were not us) barreling around the train at such an hour.

The time flew by, some of us somehow squeezing in a pit stop at Nürnberg to refresh beer supplies.

I should counter the booze-filled narrative by mentioning that all of us bought a sensible range of actual food, one lovingly handcrafted Italian sandwich in particular bringing oohs of admiration from our group of 30 somethings.

We got to Augsburg with a relatively minor delay and stopped in for a hearty lunch at the Riegele brewhouse. A man dressed as Super Mario tried to sell us a trowel.

Fueled and refreshed, we trekked out to the WWK Arena on the tram, warming up our vocal chords for the game on the way.

We picked up some Szene-created retro scarves on the way in and lost a few stickers to the gate check. By the time we got in kick off was only about 10 minutes away.

The stadium is in the middle of nowhere but it's a nice one, a steep bowl set a little into the ground.

We found some space up at the top and by the time all 14 of us were assembled the game had already kicked off, the capos leading roaring rounds of chants right away.

It was loud, it was bouncy, it was unbelievably fun.

Due to a clerical error we ended up with between 2 and 4 beers each, to our deep consternation.

First Half

The game itself was in large parts a classic of the end of season genre.

We started with Preu wide left and Rothe as the left of a back three, but that was the main interest in a half where both teams had eyes on the beach.

Augsburg were the better without causing too much fuss, Schwolow clawing one header over athletically in the early minutes but seeing mostly pot shots and scrappy headers fly harmlessly wide.

We didn't look too troubled but also barely got out of our half, Preu getting flattened trying to break away.

Hollerbach was the central striker but our game doesn't suit him there, he was easily marshalled by the centre backs.

Khedira and Schäfer were having good games, the latter busting a gut to chase down an attack over the top and stick a perfect sliding tackle at full speed, winning a goal kick in the process.

Our real star was the capo perched barefoot on the fence for 2 solid hours coordinating the songs. We were in fine voice today.

Augsburg eventually broke through, and the probably deserved it. For all their patient play around the box, it was a well-weighted ball in behind that got us, Querfeld running through treacle and outpaced by Tietz, who had no trouble slotting past Schwolow.

It was almost two moments later, a ball curled in finding their forward all alone, but Schwolow did really well to tip his glancing header wide.

Second Half

After luxuriating on our seats for the half time break, the second half continued much as the first.

Augsburg nearly got a second after Schwolow was almost robbed on his six yard line.

Ilic and Trimmel came on, Preu and Haberer off. The lesser-spotted Tousart also replaced Schäfer, who had had a strong game.

Ilic made an immediate difference, suddenly we were able to hold the ball. It didn't lead to any shots mind you, but we did improve.

Ticking into the 70s, we suddenly got away on the left, Hollerbach on the end of a ball that let him run at the defender.

With support arriving we were all screaming for him to pass.

Tosh, he thought, as ever. Cutting in from the left, he shot from a tight angle. The keeper made a good sprawling save but it fell perfectly for Ilic who gobbles those up all day, lashing it home to spark joy in the away end.

We would have been happy with the draw but the football gods had other plans.

While Augsburg again went on the attack after our equaliser, they couldn't find a way through. Deep into injury time, a corner of theirs was cleared as far as sub Ljubicic. Keep it, I thought. Run the clock out. Let's all sit on these nice comfy seats a bit more.

No. Spotting a runner, Ljubicic freed Khedira down the same left flank we'd hurt them from before. What was Khedira doing sprinting down the left wing in the 93rd minute? Unclear.

Whatever the forces at play, he managed to get to the area and centre the ball - it didn't look on but somehow it evaded absolutely everyone and arrived once again at Ilic's feet. And previously mentioned, he gobbles those up all day and again fairly lashed the ball in.

Pandemonium this time, several of us dragged down into fairly intimate contact with the railings, people in the standing places tumbling all over.

It was a totally undeserved winner with probably our second shot of the game. It turned out to be the very last kick of the game, and the season. What a way to finish!

Also, we should keep Ilic. Please.

With nothing on the line Augsburg probably weren't too bothered but it must have stung a bit.

For us it was the perfect end to another rollercoaster season, but one with far more highs in recent weeks than we might have expected.

We stayed long after the whistle to celebrate with the players, bringing them back about 5 times for more Oles. A truly great season ender, and for me a wonderful first away day.

We were blessed with miraculously prompt trains on the way back, a broken tram in Augsburg and an almighty scrum for the Nürnberg-bound RE train notwithstanding. Hat tip to the Train Whisperer for knowing, deep in his bones, where the train door would be.

I had expected the way out to be calm and the way back to be chaos, but it was mostly the other way round - techno and shouting on the way there, people singing along to Journey on the way back.

On that crowded Regiobahn I saw a fairly serious looking ultra pull out a large homemade pasta salad and quietly munch through it. Above him, a man laid in the luggage rack with a bottle of rum.

Our UBI group had been on our own personal journeys, one in particular finding a miraculous second and possibly third wind after being the most asleep I have ever seen a human on the way back. While most of the Unioner pulled out an eclectic range of spirits to pour into their beers in the way back, we stayed mainly sensible, our exertions done for the day.

But what a day we had together. What a way to spend a day (and with special thanks to the organisers for marshalling most of the logistics).

And because no weekend is complete without the Alte Försterei, we've even got Sunday's Frauen promotion party to look forward to! The best of footballing weekends.

As we all said at the end - here's to many more away days in the future. With some of the teams coming up from the Bundesliga 2, there should be some good opportunities.

No finer way to spend a 1000km day trip.

Eisern!

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By @MarkJB on Bluesky