Nuremberg claimed their third win in four games - and of the season - with a 1-0 victory away to Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday afternoon.
The first half had very few chances until the last five minutes, during which time Raphael Schafer was forced to make a couple of good saves.
Nuremberg came out strongly in the second half and managed to take the lead when Josip Drmic headed in an Adam Hlousek cross, with the visitors able to hang on for a big three points.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good afternoon Bundesliga fans. The weekend continues today with our usual double-header from Germany's top flight. Later on Hertha take on Wolfsburg, but before that we have Augsburg against Nuremberg at SGL Arena.
Augsburg have surprised many this season and a lot of their good for has come at home. They have won six of their nine games at the SGL Arena so far, with this the first of two home games in hand. A win today would move them into sixth so they are definitely in with a chance of making Europe.
Nuremberg have only lost seven of 20 games so far, yet they are in the thick of a relegation scrap. That's largely down to the sheer volume of draws they have had - 11 from their first 17 games before the winter break, with their only two wins so far coming in the second half of the season. Despite a defeat to Bayern Munich last week they have come back strongly and will not be a pushover for Augsburg.
Right then, the teams are in so I'll get those right across with 20 minutes to go until our first kickoff of the afternoon.
AUGSBURG XI: Manninger; Verhaegh, Callsen-Bracker, Klavan, Ostrzolek; Vogt, Hahn; Baier, Altintop, Werner; Milik
NUREMBERG XI: Schafer; Angha, Nilsson, Petrak, Pinola; Plattenhardt, Feulner; Kiyotake, Hlousek, Mak; Drmic
So it's teenage on-loan striker Arkadiusz Milik who starts up front for Augsburg this afternoon, who is having a good season. As is Halil Altintop from attacking midfield. He so often gets on the scoresheet and he really does enjoy the freedom he is allowed in this side.
The key man for Nuremberg is so often Hiroshi Kiyotake, who like Altintop has a roaming role in behind the striker. Marvin Plattenhardt has an important task ahead of him today, as it looks as though he will play in a holding role while he is more familiar as a left-back - could Altintop have joy against him?
Just five minutes away from kickoff, let's have a look at the odds shall we? The hosts are understandably favourites today, at 3/4, while Nuremberg are some way back at around 3/1. I might be tempted for a punt at the draw, which is 5/2, as I think that if the visitors can start strongly they can be a match for Augsburg.
Having said that... I think Augsburg instead will come out strongly with an early goal, which should see them to a win. My prediction is 2-0 for the hosts with Altintop on the scoresheet. Almost time!
KICKOFF: Markus Weinzierl's side - unbeaten in eight games - watch their visitors kick off and we're underway.
Early pressure for Augsburg with a couple of pot-shots being blocked. An effort from range comes in Vogt but it goes well wide of the far post.
Tobias Werner goes down holding his leg after a collision with Markus Feulner - the Nuremberg man was a bit late there and I think if that challenge was later in the game he would have been booked. Nuremberg have ridden the early pressure now and the game is even.
Half-chance for the away side there. Hlousek crosses from deep on the left and it's met by Drmic, but there was enough pressure on the header to force it way over the bar.
What a waste! Werner starts a break, before getting the ball back. He has Baier to his right but instead tries the very difficult pass back to Altintop on the left, who wasn't expecting it and it runs out of play for a goal kick. That should have been a chance.
No real chances as yet as we move towards 10 minutes played. Nuremberg have done well to get back into the game after some early pressure and currently the battle is all in the midfield.
First corner of the game goes to Augsburg as Plattenhardt defended well to head behind. It's played short but the eventual cross is overhit and goes out of play.
Neither goalkeeper has yet had a real save to make with both defences well on top of their respective strikers. Augsburg are pressing high up the pitch, which has led to a few misplaced passes so far from Nuremberg.
Augsburg have been very wasteful in attack so far. Ostrzolek robs Mak before playing to Milik, but the cross from Werner is bad. Then Hahn forces Schafer into a save before Nuremberg broke with Kiyotake's cross turned behind. It's livened up all of a sudden!
Foul on Drmic allows Kiyotake his first attempt at a cross into the box. It goes towards Petrak but he's beaten in the air before Plattenhardt slashes clear. Augsburg escape.
Again Werner's cross lets him down when he's in a dangerous position. It was Martin Angha on his first start who kept tight to him and managed to block it out of touch - good defending.
BOOKING: First card of the game is for Kirotake who completely took out Hahn after the ball. He can have no complaints, but that's his first yellow of the season.
BOOKING: What an embarrassing dive from Milik! He was watching Stevan Jovetic yesterday I think because he's just launched himself into the box under no contact from Plattenhardt whatsoever. Well played the referee.
Augsburg want another penalty against poor old Plattenhardt here as the ball looks to have graved his arm, but once again that would have been incredibly harsh against the Nuremberg man.
Nuremberg are becoming very sloppy in the middle as this time Hlousek gives the ball away. Fortunately for them Augsburg have been equally wasteful in attack as Hahn puts a cross over the bar and out for a goal kick.
CHANCE! Hlousek thinks he's in with a chance there as he's found following a mistake from Klavan. Vogt kept himself tall, though, and blocked the shot.
Altintop, who has been quiet all half, goes down from a slight pull by Petrak. He fell forwards after being tugged back, so that suggests to me it was soft... Dangerous position nonetheless.
The wall to me looked about six yards away, not 10, but Werner overhits his cross anyway and Schafer punches. Augsburg try to attack again down the right this time but the ball goes out for a goal kick. Verbeek will be happy with his Nuremberg team so far.
SAVE! Really good effort there from Milik, who gets away from Pinols and shoots from the corner of the box. It's heading in at the near post but Schafer pushes it around for a corner. Then Drmic goes into the book for a foul on Baier as he was looking to shoot. you can get away with one of those per game.
SAVE! Schafer is earning his crust at the moment! This time Baier lays off a free kick to Werner and his well struck effort was parried away, before just falling out of reach of Vogt. The shot took a deflection and on replay that is a really fantastic save.
HALF-TIME: Augsburg 0-0 Nuremberg
So it's half time in South Germany and 0-0 is about the right result. Nuremberg probably couldn't have complained if they had gone in behind, but Augsburg did not threaten until the final five minutes really.
Weinzierl will want to see a lot more from his side in the final third. They have just about had the better of the midfield battle, but have been wasteful - Werner in particular - when they have got near the Nuremberg goal. Schafer made a couple of good stops near the end of the half, which will encourage the hosts.
Kiyotake, despite looking Nuremberg's most dangerous player, has not been in the game enough for Gerbeek's liking. He could look to alter things slightly to get his best player on the ball a bit more. Augsburg have been careful not to give away too many free kicks, which is where the Japanese really excels.
We're almost ready for the second half to get back underway. The Augsburg players are making their way down the tunnel. Will we see a winner? Remember a 0-0 draw is a big rarity this season in the Bundesliga.
NUREMBERG SUB: Interesting change at the break for the visitors then. Jose Campana is on for Kiyotake.
Campana is on loan from Crystal Palace and he's making his first appearance for his new club.
Nuremberg have begun the half well. They are looking energetic and Augsburg are on the back foot a little bit here.
Manninger is constantly talking to his defence and encouraging his team - he's a very experienced head to have in a tense derby. Good work from Angha down the right who wins a corner off Ostrzolek. Nuremberg still on top at the moment.
It is beginning to look as though one big chance might well take all the points here today. Good passing move from Nuremberg ends with Feulner being brought down by Callsen-Bracker in the D. What a chance this is.
What a waste from the central free kick. Plattenhardt smashed it into the wall, before it bobbles around a bit and finally the ball is slashed over by I think Pinola.
AUGSBURG SUB: On-loan striker Ji Dong-Won comes on for Augsburg with Milik making way. The Korean is off to Dortmund in the summer, remember.
Altintop drives a shot straight at Schafer in a rare foray forward in this half from Augsburg. There has still yet to be a clear-cut chance, although both keepers have had saves to make.
GOAL! Augsburg 0-1 Nuremberg (Josip Drmic)
That is a proper striker's goal that from Drmic! Hlousek deserves a lot of credit for a brilliant cross from the left, and Drmic heads powerfully beyond the reach of Manninger to put the away side ahead. They deserve that from their effort this half too.
BOOKING: A frustration tackle there from Ostrzolek and he goes into the book. There's also a change for Weinzierl as Jan Moravek is on for Vogt.
CLOSE! Oh my word what a strike from Feulner! Manninger is rooted to the spot as Feulner lets rip from 30 yards, but it doesn't quite come down in time and zips over the bar.
Augsburg are stepping up the pressure a little bit here as they look for the equaliser. Lots of crosses are coming in but Nuremberg are defending them all at the moment.
Awful pass there from Ostrzolek. Augsburg break at pace down the left but with two to aim for Ostrzolek's cross-field pass goes straight to Plattenhardt who heads back to his keeper.
Augsburg are going to need a different tactic I think - at the moment Nuremberg are heading everything away. A clearance falls to Moravek but he puts his effort way over the bar. It was a hard chance, though, he was closed down quickly.
CLOSE! Hahn cannot get closer to a goal than that! He dummies in the box to take a couple of defenders out of play, before shooting on the turn with power just a yard or so wide. Great effort.
Oh dear Altintop! He's in space on the edge of the box and simply has to go for goal, but for some reason decides to play it to his right where there wasn't a teammate.
SUBS: Timo Gebhart - who already came on as a sub - makes way for Pekhart! Also a change for the hosts, with Erik Thommy on for Werner.
Still Augsburg look to press and Hahn is at the heart of most of their good play. His cross is deflected for a corner.
OFF THE LINE! From the corner we're very close to the equaliser. It was a good header from Callsen-Bracker and it hit possibly his own man just a couple of yards off the line. I think Angha was in there too trying to clear.
SAVE! Great stop from Schafer but equally it's a brilliant strike from the youngster Thommy! If it was more either side of the keeper I don't think Schafer would have got there, but he was able to tip over. Can Nuremberg ride this out?
There will be two minutes of time to be added on here. Enough for one or two more chances.
FULL TIME: Augsburg 0-1 Nuremberg
Nuremberg take a big win and once more get the better of Augsburg! Thanks for joining me for this one - I'll be back in a few with Hertha's game, so see you over there.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
