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01/15 15:53 CST Union Berlin rescues a draw at Augsburg after fan protest
interrupts Bundesliga game
Union Berlin rescues a draw at Augsburg after fan protest interrupts Bundesliga
game
AUGSBURG, Germany (AP) --- Marin Ljubicic scored a stoppage-time goal to
salvage a 1-1 draw for 10-man Union against Augsburg on Thursday in a
Bundesliga game that was disrupted in the first half by fans throwing toy balls
onto the field.
Alexis Claude-Maurice's audacious long-range strike just before halftime had
Augsburg on course for the win, and he hit the post on another attempt in the
second half.
Union's comeback hopes seemed over when defender Derrick Khn was sent off in
the 89th for catching Samuel Essende on the shoulder with his boot while
challenging for a high ball.
That didn't stop from Ljubicic from flicking the ball into the net with the
outside of his foot in stoppage time as Augsburg failed to clear.
Toy balls and other objects flew onto the field as fans protesting the
Bundesliga's scheduling forced a five-minute interruption in the first half.
The objects were thrown from the stands when the ball went out behind
Augsburg's goal in the 32nd minute. Players, substitutes and staff all joined
in to the clear the field before play could resume in the 37th.
Fans displayed two banners protesting the decision for a rare Thursday game,
and called for more games to be played in a traditional Saturday afternoon slot.
With 18 teams and a 34-game season, midweek games are rarer in the Bundesliga
than other major European leagues.
Playing on Thursday was the result of the league's TV broadcast contract, which
began this season, requiring five different kickoff times for each round of
games, German agency dpa reported. This midweek round of games also had early
and late games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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