Augsburg (dpa / lby) - For Augsburg's midfielder Arne Maier, the first winter test "in some situations" felt more like ice skating. In the snow flurry, coach Enrico Maassen's team defeated the Swiss first division side Grasshopper Club Zurich 3-0 (3-0). Frederik Winther (27th minute), Lukas Petkov (37th) and Maier (41st) were successful for the Bundesliga soccer club on Saturday.
"It was fun," said Maier after the "deserved" victory. "But our first half was better than the second." FC Augsburg could have scored more goals, but at the same time could have conceded some through the Swiss. Substitute goalkeeper Tomas Koubek, who came on for Rafal Gikiewicz at half-time, saved a Guilherme Schettine penalty in the 53rd minute.
"It was important to keep that lead," said the Czech goalkeeper after the game in freezing temperatures. "It was pretty cold at the end of the game, but it was a good test for us." The next preparatory game against second division team 1. FC Heidenheim is on Friday.
The first training block of the Augsburgers ends on December 20th. From January 3rd, Maassen's team will prepare for the opening game at Borussia Dortmund on January 22nd. One day after the start of training, we go to the training camp in Algorfa in Alicante. There, the Augsburgers prepare for the remaining 19 games in the Bundesliga until January 12th. After many injury problems they spend the winter in 14th place in the table.
