Eintracht Frankfurt have ended the first half of the Bundesliga season without a victory at home for the first time in their history after a 1-1 draw with Augsburg.
There were not chances in the opening 30 minutes, before the game burst into life late in the first half. Raul Bobadilla scored for the visitors with Jan Rosenthal equalising just under 10 minutes later.
In the second half both sides had chances but neither could find a winner as the game ended in a deserved point apiece.
Read how the action unfolded below with our live text commentary.
Hello everyone! The final weekend before the Bundesliga winter break starts tonight. We have Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Augsburg right here for you, with kickoff in 30 minutes.
The hosts in their last game managed to put a bit of breathing room between themselves and the relegation playoff place which is currently occupied by Freiburg. They beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 away from home and will be looking to follow that up with their first home win. An improvement in front of their own fans should see them move clear of danger.
This will not be an easy test for them, however, against an Augsburg side who have surprised many so far. Their run of four wins from six has seem them quietly move up to eighth and another tonight would put them another place up the table.
It is a long wait in this league for the team who loses. They won't be in competitive action again until the end of January, so both sets of players will want a win that will keep them motivated through the winter break. Right then, let's take a look at the teams, shall we?
FRANKFURT XI: Trapp; Jung, Zambrano, Anderson, Djakpa; Rode, Schwegler; Schrock, Rosenthal, Flum; Joselu
Frankfurt subs: Wiedwald, Oczipka, Inui, Kadlec, Meier, Bakalorz, Barnetta
AUGSBURG XI: Hitz; Verhaegh, Callsen-Bracker, Klavan, Ostrzolek; Baier; Hahn, Vogt, Altintop, Werner; Bobadilla
Augsburg subs: Manninger, Reinhardt, Holzhauser, Milik, de Jong, Hong, Molders
So looking at the teams, this one might well be close. Joseul continues to keep out Vaclav Kadlec for the hosts despite missing a late penalty in the last game. For Augsburg, it's Bobadilla up front who has impressed recently.
But, I hear you ask, what do the bookies think? They aren't too sure, in essence. Frankfurt are the slight 7/5 favourites, but at 12/5 Augsburg are far from underdogs. I can't see Augsburg's form continuing here and I think Frankfurt will make it two from two with a first home win. Let's say 2-1.
KICKOFF: We're underway here. Let's hope for a great game to start the new Bundesliga weekend.
It has been a bright start from the home team, who have looked to dominate the possession early on. No chances as yet, but the hosts are well settled here in the first few minutes.
Altintop wants a penalty, but it's not a whole-hearted appeal. As he shoots there's a coming together with Schwegler, but really he missed the ball and kicked the Frankfurt man, there was no foul.
Augsburg's game plan is clear. A couple of times now have the visitors pinched the ball and quickly looked for Altintop on the break. Both times the Turkish player lost the ball, but he is certainly a threat.
BOOKING: Baier goes into the book for what initially looked like bringing down his own man. However, the replay shows that he stopped the ball with his hand to prevent an attack.
BOOKING: Flum quickly follows his opponent into the book, for catching Hahn late with a sliding tackle. The Augsburg man certainly made the most of it, but it was a sloppy lunge.
Augsburg now are enjoying a spell of possession after Frankfurt's bright start. We're still waiting for a shot or a really good chance and as expected the two sides are very evenly matched at the moment.
The visitors are looking most threatening down the right flank, which is almost completely down to Djakpa's all-out attacking mentality from left-back. He gives Frankfurt a lot going forward, but isn't the best defensively.
Joselu is almost through but decides to try to get it on to his left, which showed just enough of the ball to Klavan who was able to nick it away from him. I thought that was about to be our first shot, but we continue to wait.
Slightly dodgy defending there from Vogt, who completely misses a clearance from a cross, but Flum was not close enough at the far post to take advantage. Not a great deal of quality so far.
Wicked cross there from Werner, who was found by Altintop over the top. The ball towards Hahn is cleared behind by Djakpa, who had tracked back well. A couple of corners in a row nor for Augsburg, who are building a bit of pressure.
Augsburg are certainly looking the most threatening team as they break again. This time Hahn half-volleys a brilliant cross but there's no-one arriving at the far post to throw himself on to it.
Augsburg are guilty of being a little enthusiastic in the final third. On quite a few occasions now a deep midfielder or defender from the hosts has been able to win a cheap free kick when under pressure. The home crowd are getting a little frustrated.
Frankfurt are just edging back on top now after Augsburg's spell of dominance. I say dominance, there wasn't actually an effort on goal, but they were in the hosts' half a fair bit.
GOAL! Frankfurt 0-1 Augsburg (Raul Bobadilla)
That is really awful defending. First a deep cross is headed up instead of out, and then Trapp is really slow coming off his line, which allows Bobadilla to volley into a pretty much empty net.
Schrock for some reason decides to square the ball when one-on-one and his chipped cross is cleared. That might have been the equaliser! Back to the goal, Frankfurt might be a little bit harshly done by, as when the ball was headed through to Bobadilla Werner was standing offside before he then got in the way of Trapp. You can argue he wasn't interfering, but then again he could well have been.
SAVE! Oh that should be 1-1! Flum is played in by a Shrock back-heel, who then threads in Joselu. The striker's shot is stopped by the body of the keeper before clipping the outside of the post and going wide - really good save.
BOOKING: Vogt is the next player into the book for the visitors for a late tackle. Meanwhile at the other end Hitz is alert to a powerful Schrock header.
GOAL! Frankfurt 1-1 Augsburg (Jan Rosenthal)
That was coming and it was deserved too. A cross is partially cleared from the right and falls nicely for Rosenthal who smashes a volley into the top corner from about eight yards.
HALF-TIME: Frankfurt 1-1 Augsburg
Well that half really came to life in the final 15 minutes and 1-1 at the break is about right. Frankfurt needed to go behind to get going but once they did they were worthy of their equaliser.
In the 30 minutes or so before the goal there was very little in this game. Augsburg were perhaps the more threatening on the break, but there was nothing in the way of chances. In the end Bobadilla's goal came from a poor bit of defending as Schwegler headed the ball to Bobadilla. There were calls for offside, but it was a Frankfurt player who assisted it.
The equaliser came after a spell of dominance from the hosts. They responded really well to going behind and could have scored twice before they finally did. In the end Rosenthal did really well to control a volley into the top corner after a cross was half-cleared.
I wouldn't expect any changes at the break. Here come the players for the second half and I can't see any new faces...
Here we go then, we are back underway for the second half.
First foray forward in the half from Joselu, but he was well tracked all the way back by Verhaegh, who got the ball off him easily. Joselu can definitely improve - he doesn't seem to quite have it under control when given the ball.
The second 45 has started in a similar way to the first. Augsburg are very tidy on the ball, but Frankfurt are seeing most of it at the moment.
CHANCE! Agonisingly close for the visitors. Frankfurt give it away and the visitors break down the left. Werner puts in a drilled cross towards Hahn, but the latter just couldn't stretch enough to turn it in.
Despite the chance, Frankfurt are still seeing most of the ball. However, Augsburg have just started a spell of possession, but are forced back from the edge of the home box all the way to Hitz.
Hahn is just caught outside on the right as Baier clips it over to him. Looking at the replay that is a poor decision - he was level. With little support in the box, though, it mattered little.
FRANKFURT SUB: Alexander Meier is on for Flum as Armin Veh makes his first change of the match.
Meier's first involvement is to hang on to the ball a bit too long when a cross was on. It was good play from Schrock previously, before Joselu gives away a free kick.
Another cross from deep troubles Trapp slightly. This time Ostrzolek puts it across low, but it goes out of play with Altintop trying to get on the end of it. Trapp was briefly worried, but let it run out of play.
CHANCE! Big chance for Altintop but he was just about offside. That's probably Bobadilla's fault, who delayed the pass a bit too long. Trapp made a good save in the end, but he didn't know the flag was going up.
BOOKING: Rode goes into the book and that one seems a little harsh to me. He got a slight touch on the ball when going shoulder to shoulder with Hahn, but the referee thought it worthy of a yellow card.
It's beginning to look like there won't be a winner here. Neither side is on top at the moment and there hasn't been a real chance for quite some time. There are just plenty of fouls, with Schwegler the next booked for stopping a counter-attack early.
AUGSBURG SUB: The goalscorer Bobadilla makes way for the more direct threat of Milik.
The crowd are urging the hosts on, but there is very little urgency reaching the players on the pitch. The next goal will surely be the winner, so are the teams happy to take the draw now? Certainly Augsburg have the ability to hit them on the break late on.
CHANCES! How has that not gone in?! Milik is in behind but it's a poor finish that allows Trapp to put out a left arm to push it away. Zambrano comes back to defend and almost puts it through his own net before clearing behind from under his own bar.
FRANKFURT SUB: Marvin Bakalorz is on now for Joselu for the last fe wminutes of the game. Not much time for him to make an impact.
It is kicking off a little on the sidelines after a slightly mistimed tackle. I think both sides must be frustrated with their performances in the second half as we edge into the first of two added minutes.
AUGSBURG: Late change for the visitors as Marcel de Jong comes on for Werner. That's a sign that they are happy with the draw that looks most likely.
FULL-TIME: Frankfurt 1-1 Augsburg
There are boos at the final whistle as Frankfurt end a half of a Bundesliga season without a home win for the first time. For them it can only improve from January onwards. Augsburg will take the point and will be happy with their first half of the season.
That's all from me here, so thanks for joining me. There is plenty more Bundesliga action, reports and news over the weekend so stick with us over the next two days. Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
