FCA fall 2-1 to Bundesliga champions Leverkusen
Kömür scores first Bundesliga goal, Kücüksahin makes professional debut
FC Augsburg travelled to Leverkusen on the final day of the Bundesliga season, with 3,000 fans making the trip to support the team. After finding themselves 2-1 down at half-time, Mert Kömür was able to get one back for FCA on his debut start for the side. In the end, it wasn’t enough, as Augsburg fell to a narrow defeat against the already-crowned champions.
After making his professional debut against Hoffenheim (3-1 loss), followed by two cameos against Union Berlin (2-0 win) and Dortmund (5-1 loss), Mert Kömür was handed his first start on the final day in Leverkusen. Head coach Jess Thorup was without Patric Pfeiffer (ill), as well as Kristijan Jakić, Ruben Vargas (both knocks) and Kevin Mbabu (yellow-card suspension). Kömür, Arne Maier and Mads Pedersen replaced the trio in the starting XI.
Leverkusen came into the game on a 50-game unbeaten run across all competitions, having already been crowned Bundesliga champions. The Werkself were dominant from the start, keeping FCA on the back foot. The hosts opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Victor Boniface, who tapped in the opener after Amine Adli put pressure on Tomáš Koubek following a back pass. A quarter of an hour later, the hosts would go on to double their lead through Robert Andrich. A corner found its way to Jonathan Tah, whose shot was deflected and fell to Andrich, who slotted home a back-heel goal (28′).
FCA went close in the 32nd minute, as Ermedin Demirović’s shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Tah. Thorup was then forced to make a change just before the break, as Tim Breithaupt was unable to continue after a collision with Exequiel Palacios. Arne Engels came on in his place.
Kömür cuts the deficit
Augsburg improved during the second half, as they were able to profit from gaps in Leverkusen’s formation. This allowed Kömür to get one back for the visitors in the 62nd minute, after Maier won possession and quickly played a pass to the youngster. Kömür then struck a sensational shot that beat Lukas Hradecky to cut the deficit to 2-1. At just 18 years and 306 days old, Kömür is now Augsburg’s youngest goalscorer in the Bundesliga, taking the record from Kevin Danso.
Thorup then handed 19-year-old Mahmut Kücüksahin his Bundesliga debut in injury time, after he’d been included in a first-team matchday squad for the first time. Despite enjoying several chances in what was an improved performance in the second half, FCA were unable to end Leverkusen’s unbeaten run.
FC Augsburg ended the 2023/24 Bundesliga season in 11th place with 39 points, their third-best finish in the club’s top-flight history.
Photos from the game
