FCA win 3-1 against Ajax in pre-season friendly
Nearly 15,000 fans at the WWK ARENA
FC Augsburg hosted Ajax as part of the club’s Family Day festivities at the WWK ARENA. A total of 14,207 fans were in attendance to watch the hosts win 3-1 against the record champions from the Netherlands.
Head coach Enrico Maaßen named five summer signings in his starting XI for the second friendly of the day: Finn Dahmen, Patric Pfeiffer Tim Breithaupt, Sven Michel and Phillip Tietz. FCA had won 3-2 in their first friendly against SSV Jahn Regensburg earlier in the day.
The visitors started brightly, but FCA came closest to scoring the opener after the first quarter of an hour. Michel was through on goal after a good pass from David Čolina, but the 32-year-old saw his shot blocked at the last minute by an Ajax defender (17’). Tietz then had a shot saved by Ajax goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. He was able to celebrate just before the end of the half, as a cross from Ruben Vargas sailed through Rulli’s hands and dropped to Tietz, who only needed to poke it over the line (42’).
Michel scores a brace
Ajax were able to equalise shortly after the restart, as Frederik Winther brought down Bryan Brobbey inside the box. The striker stepped up to take the penalty and made it 1-1. Minutes later, Dahmen was forced to make an excellent foot save to deny Francisco Conceicao from close range (63’). FCA were then able to retake the lead in the 69th minute, as Michel got on the end of a long ball and slotted home at the near post. The striker would net his second of the day just minutes later, after being taken down inside the box by Rulli. He stepped up to take the penalty, putting FCA 3-1 ahead.
FCA were able to celebrate victory in their second pre-season friendly of the day, capping off a successful Family Day at the WWK ARENA. Before the team open the competitive season away at SpVgg Unterhaching in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, they will first take a short trip to Italy, where they will face Salernitana and Serie A champions Napoli.
FCA: Dahmen – Pfeiffer, Maier, Vargas (46’ Cardona), Breithaupt, Michel, Tietz, Winther, Engels, Dorsch, Čolina (74’ Zehnter)
Goals: 1-0 Tietz (42’), 1-1 Brobbey (56’), 2-1 Michel (69’), 3-1 Michel (76’)