Augsburg’s bid to ease its Bundesliga relegation worries with Markus Weinzierl back as coach started badly after losing at Stuttgart 2-1 on Friday.
Saša Kalajdžić scored one and set up the other for Stuttgart to end its four-game losing run and leave Augsburg just three points above the relegation zone.
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Augsburg’s bid to ease its Bundesliga relegation worries with Markus Weinzierl back as coach started badly after losing at Stuttgart 2-1 on Friday.
Weinzierl’s team next faces relegation rival Werder Bremen before its last game of the season at Bayern Munich on May 22.
But poor defending allowed Kalajdžić to head what proved to be Stuttgart’s winner in the 74th.
Stuttgart's Philipp Forster, 3rd left, celebrates scoring with teammates during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Philipp Forster, right, celebrates scoring with teammates Roberto Massimo and Stuttgart's Sasa Kalajdzic, left, during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Marc Oliver Kempf, left, and Augsburg's Andre Hahn in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Augsburg had only one point from its previous four games, leading the club to fire Heiko Herrlich as coach on April 26. Weinzierl, who led Augsburg through its most successful spell from 2012-16, was brought back for his first coaching job since he was fired by Stuttgart in 2019 after a 6-0 loss to Augsburg.
Stuttgart's Wataru Endo, left, and Augsburg's Jan Moravek in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Weinzierl’s team next faces relegation rival Werder Bremen before its last game of the season at Bayern Munich on May 22.
Philipp Förster fired Stuttgart into an early lead against the run of play with the help of a deflection after Kalajdžić laid the ball back.
Augsburg regrouped. The equalizer when it came from Florian Niederlechner just before the hour mark was fully deserved. Marco Richter headed the ball across goal and it rebounded off Stuttgart defender Marc Oliver Kempf’s back before Niederlechner headed in from close range.
Augsburg's Marco Richter, left, and Stuttgart's Philipp Klement in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
But poor defending allowed Kalajdžić to head what proved to be Stuttgart’s winner in the 74th.
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Augsburg's Florian Niederlechner celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Philipp Forster, 3rd left, celebrates scoring with teammates during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Philipp Forster, right, celebrates scoring with teammates Roberto Massimo and Stuttgart's Sasa Kalajdzic, left, during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Marc Oliver Kempf, left, and Augsburg's Andre Hahn in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, Friday May 7, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
