Maier brace ushers in big win for FCA

Victory in charity match in Dinkelscherben

FC Augsburg won 4-1 against SSV Ulm in a charity match in Dinkelscherben on Thursday evening. The proceeds from the match will benefit the victims of the catastrophic flooding that hit the area in June.

Head coach Jess Thorup was without 12 first-team players as his side prepared to face last season’s 3. Liga champions from Ulm during the international break. Several academy players were included in the matchday squad to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase themselves.

A sell-out crowd of 2,500 packed into the GW-TEC Arena, home of TSV Dinkelscherben, on Thursday afternoon. FCA were able to open the scoring early on, as Ulm lost possession and had to rush to get back as Masaya Okugawa, Yusuf Kabadayi and Mahmut Kücüksahin combined quickly to get the ball to Arne Maier. The midfielder was able to slot home a shot into the bottom corner from 16 metres out (2′). Augsburg goalkeeper Daniel Klein then pulled off two saves in quick succession, before Kabadayi was able to add a second for FCA in the 25th minute. Not even 120 seconds later, the ball was in the back of the Ulm net again, as Maier bagged a brace. FCA found themselves 3-0 up inside 30 minutes, a lead which they would take into the half-time break.

Gallery: BiFa FCASSV

New signing Alexis Claude-Maurice was substituted on for his FCA debut after the interval. Klein did well to make a goalline save, but was helpless in the 72nd minute as Ulm’s Lucas Röser was able to get a goal back for his side. Thorup’s team hit back nearly immediately, with Tim Breithaupt converting a penalty after a handball inside the box (74′).

FCA will be back in action following the international break as they go in search of their first win in the Bundesliga at home against FC St. Pauli on Sunday, 15th September (15:30 CEST).

FCA: Klein, Gouweleeuw (59′ Banks), Kabadayi (83′ Cabrera), Maier (83′ Lindermeir), Wolf (83′ Lichtensteiger), Okugawa (46. Claude-Maurice), Breithaupt (83′ Bleicher), Bauer (83′ Rasoulinia), Schlotterbeck (83′ Meiser), Kücuksahin (59′ Heinze), Koudossou

Goals: 1-0 Maier (2′), 2-0 Kabadayi (25′), 3-0 Maier (27′), 3-1 Röser (72′), 4-1 Breithaupt (76′)