FCA beat Heidenheim 1-0

FC Augsburg extended their unbeaten home run on matchday 22, with an Alexis Claude-Maurice penalty sealing a 1-0 win over 1. FC Heidenheim.

Head coach Manuel Baum made three changes to his starting XI, with Kristijan Jakić, Anton Kade and Cédric Zesiger coming in. Birthday boy Yannik Keitel was back in the squad, as was Dimitris Giannoulis – both had missed the 2-0 defeat in Mainz. Augsburg went into the meeting with bottom side Heidenheim on a run of six straight unbeaten home games.

On a chilly Carnival Sunday, the hosts started brightly in front of 30,107 at the WWK ARENA, with Alexis Claude-Maurice registering the first effort inside the opening minute. After that, though, Heidenheim steadily grew into the contest. The visitors, in blue, began to carry more threat in the box and went close through Julian Niehues’ header in the 13th minute.

Augsburg’s best moment of the half followed five minutes later, when Kristijan Jakić unleashed a powerful right-footed strike that Diant Ramaj did well to save. The game then lost some of its early tempo. When FCA did get forward, it was usually via Claude-Maurice – his curling effort in the 26th minute drifted just wide of the post. Michael Gregoritsch then tried to catch Ramaj out from near the halfway line, but his audacious attempt in the 39th minute went wide and the sides went in goalless at the break.

A penalty provides the winning goal

There were no changes at half-time and the second period began in much the same vein. Augsburg looked to inject more energy with a double switch on 59 minutes, sending on Marius Wolf and Rodrigo Ribeiro – and the change had an instant impact on the tempo of the home side’s attacking play. Shortly afterwards, Han-Noah Massengo fired the ball into the net, only for the effort to be ruled out after the referee’s whistle had already gone (63.). At the other end, Finn Dahmen gathered Jan Schöppner’s attempt cleanly (65’), before Eren Dinkçi dragged a shot wide from a promising position (68’).

The closing stages were wide open until the breakthrough finally arrived. In the 79th minute, Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot after Benedikt Gimber brought down Keven Schlotterbeck in the box following a corner. Claude-Maurice stepped up and kept his nerve, sending the penalty into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0 (80’). New signing Ribeiro nearly wrapped it up moments later, battling his way past two defenders in the 83rd minute before being denied by a sharp save from Ramaj. The Fuggerstädter were able to hold on to their narrow lead to secure a fifth home win of the season.

Next up for FCA, who are now in 12th with 25 points, is an away trip to VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, 21st February (15:30 CET).

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