SV Elversberg vs FC Augsburg 4-3

SV Elversberg beat FC Augsburg 4-3 in a seven-goal match that turned on penalties, VAR checks and late strikes. The home side led 3-1 at half-time, then held on after Augsburg twice cut the gap in the closing stages.

The action started with a VAR check in the 2nd minute that confirmed a penalty for SV Elversberg. Lukas Petkov missed from the spot in the 4th minute, then made up for it by opening the scoring moments later. Lasse Günther, from Maurice Krattenmacher's assist, made it 2-0 in the 7th minute, and Maximilian Rohr added a third in the 28th minute from Felix Keidel's pass. FC Augsburg pulled one back through Fabian Rieder's penalty in the 45th minute, after another VAR review, to leave it 3-1 at the break.

Augsburg made three changes on 45 minutes and another two on 74 minutes as they chased the game. Michael Gregoritsch, who came on in the 45th minute, converted a penalty in the 76th minute to make it 3-2, and SV Elversberg briefly thought they had restored their cushion when Raif Adam was involved in a VAR-cancelled goal in the 79th minute. Frederik Schmahl, who had come on in the 40th minute, then scored in the 89th minute from Lukas Petkov's assist to make it 4-2, before Mert Kömür, who had come on in the 74th minute, replied in the 90th minute from Hennes Behrens to make it 4-3. Noel Futkeu missed an Elversberg penalty eight minutes into stoppage time.

The numbers backed a far tighter contest than the scoreline suggested. Augsburg had 60% of the ball, 461 passes to Elversberg's 320, and 29 shots to 19, while both sides finished with 8 shots on target. Augsburg also won 12 corners to 4 and had a slight edge in expected goals, 3.37 to 2.89. Elversberg had 5 saves to Augsburg's 4, and the foul count finished 16-14.

Augsburg's bookings went to Han-Noah Massengo and Rodrigo Ribeiro in the 30th minute, Chrislain Matsima in the 52nd minute and Michael Gregoritsch after his penalty goal was ruled in. SV Elversberg were cautioned through Felix Keidel in the 54th minute, Lukas Pinckert in the 75th minute, Nicolas Kristof in the 84th minute and Frederik Schmahl in the 90th minute plus 6. There were no red cards.