Frankfurt 1-0 Augsburg Player Ratings: Ritsu Doan Rated 8.5/10 as His Strike Secures a Narrow 1-0 Victory

FC Augsburg thought they had taken a dream start, only for VAR to cruelly chalk off a Chrislain Matsima header in the opening minutes, a moment that visibly deflated the visitors. The home side peppered the Augsburg goal, with Ansgar Knauff and the eventual match-winner Doan looking perpetually dangerous. While Augsburg defended with grit and determination, they struggled to create clear-cut opportunities of their own, often caught offside or let down by a wayward final pass.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 68th minute, a moment of quality that decided the match. It was a deserved win for Frankfurt based on the balance of play, but Augsburg will leave feeling aggrieved by that early VAR call and their inability to make their few chances count. It was a game of fine margins, ultimately settled by a single flash of brilliance.

Here are Frankfurt Vs Augsburg Player Ratings

Frankfurt Player Ratings vs Augsburg

Here are Frankfurt Player Ratings vs Augsburg

Goalkeeper

Michael Zetterer - 7.0: A quiet day at the office for the Frankfurt keeper, which is a testament to his defence. He wasn't forced into many world-class saves but what stood out to us was his command of the area. He was decisive in coming for high balls, claiming two good ones, and distributed the ball with an impressive 89% accuracy. Kept his clean sheet with minimal fuss, a solid and confident performance.

Defenders

Arthur Theate - 6.0: A mixed bag of a performance from Theate. He was a clearance machine, hacking the ball away 7 times, but he also seemed vulnerable. What we noticed was his struggle in one-on-one situations, being dribbled past twice and winning only a quarter of his duels. He also skied a glorious chance in the first half that could have changed the game. Busy, but lacked composure.

Robin Koch - 6.5: The captain was a calming presence before his unfortunate injury. He was orchestrating play from the back with a superb 91% pass accuracy. His reading of the game was excellent, making three interceptions. His departure just after the hour mark was a real concern, and it showed his importance to the backline. A solid contribution cut short.

Rasmus Kristensen - 6.5: Full of energy down the flank. He was always looking to join the attack, getting into the final third 11 times and having two shots. However, that attacking intent came at a cost, as he lost possession 18 times which is far too many. A very active performance, but he needs to add more refinement to his game.

Nnamdi Collins - 7.5: From our perspective, this was a very impressive showing. Collins was a rock. He won 7 of his 11 duels and was a tackling machine with 3 successful tackles. His passing was crisp and forward-thinking, and he was rarely caught out of position. For such a tense game, he played with a maturity beyond his years. A definite bright spot.

Midfielders

Farès Chaïbi - 5.0: A really poor first half for the midfielder. He was a ghost, touching the ball only 18 times and losing possession on 7 of those occasions. He just couldn't get into the rhythm of the game at all. It was no surprise to see him hooked at halftime. A day to forget.

Ellyes Skhiri - 5.5: We expected so much more from Skhiri in the engine room. He seemed to be bypassed for large parts of the match. He lost 6 of his 8 duels and just couldn't impose himself physically on the game. While tidy on the ball, his defensive impact was minimal. A surprisingly quiet and ineffective outing.

Mahmoud Dahoud - 6.5: Played for just over an hour and kept things ticking over nicely. His 91% pass accuracy shows how reliable he was in possession. He did his job without any real fuss or spectacular moments before being substituted. A steady, if unspectacular, performance.

Ritsu Doan - 8.5: The undisputed man of the match. He was simply electric. He scored the decisive goal with a clinical finish, but his performance was so much more. He also rattled the crossbar and was a constant menace, creating three chances for his teammates. He lost the ball a lot, but that's because he was always trying to make things happen. He was the difference-maker.

Mario Götze - 5.0: A genuine disappointment. Like Chaïbi, he was completely anonymous in the first half, touching the ball just 22 times. He offered no creativity and looked off the pace. The decision to substitute him at the break was absolutely the right one. A world-class player on an off day.

Forwards

Ansgar Knauff - 7.5: A livewire throughout his time on the pitch. He had four shots, with three testing the keeper, and was a constant threat with his pace. What stood out to us was his directness; he was always looking to run at the Augsburg defence. A very dangerous performance that deserved a goal.

Substitutes

Oscar Højlund - 7.0: Came on and changed the game with a crucial assist for the winning goal. A massive impact. Nathaniel Brown - 6.0: Provided more stability than Chaïbi. Aurèle Amenda - 6.5: Slotted in well for the injured Koch. Can Uzun - 6.0: Had a shot blocked but looked lively. Jean-Mattéo Bahoya - N/A: Not enough time to rate.

Manager

D. Toppmöller - 7.5: A brilliant tactical performance from the manager. He recognized the team was failing in the first half and made the bold double substitution at the break. Those changes, especially the introduction of Oscar Højlund who got the assist, proved decisive. He read the game perfectly and his proactive changes won his team the three points.

Augsburg Player Ratings vs Frankfurt

Here are Augsburg Player Ratings vs Frankfurt

Goalkeeper

Finn Dahmen - 6.5: He couldn't do much about the goal, it was a well-placed shot. He made three important saves, including two excellent stops to deny Ansgar Knauff. His distribution was decent under pressure. He kept his team in the game for as long as he could. A respectable performance in a losing effort.

Defenders

Chrislain Matsima - 6.5: What a rollercoaster of a match for him. He experienced the ultimate high of scoring, only for VAR to take it away. He was solid defensively, making 6 clearances and winning most of his duels. However, he did pick up a booking and had a couple of nervy moments. A chaotic but ultimately decent showing.

Keven Schlotterbeck - 6.0: The captain led a defence that was under siege for much of the game. He was aerially solid and made some important interventions. However, he also committed three fouls in dangerous areas and sometimes struggled with the movement of Frankfurt's forwards. A battling performance but he was stretched thin.

Noahkai Banks - 7.0: From our perspective, Banks was Augsburg's best defender on the day. He was a beast in the challenge, winning 8 of his 12 duels and making three successful tackles. He read the game well and was a really tough opponent to get past. A very strong and committed defensive display.

Midfielders

Han-Noah Massengo - 6.0: A workhorse performance in the middle of the park. He kept the ball moving with 87% pass accuracy but lacked a creative spark. He put in a shift defensively but didn't offer much going forward. A solid but unspectacular engine room performance before he was subbed off.

Dimitrios Giannoulis - 5.5: A frustrating afternoon for the midfielder. While he did create two chances with some decent crosses, he was incredibly wasteful in possession, losing the ball 16 times. He struggled to keep up with the pace of the game and was a weak link at times. Not his best day.

Kristijan Jakic - 7.0: One of Augsburg's brightest sparks. He provided the cross for the disallowed goal and was a real threat with his delivery, completing 100% of his long balls. He was combative, winning a good number of duels, and even had a couple of shots himself. He can hold his head high after that performance.

Robin Fellhauer - 7.0: We were really impressed by Fellhauer's tenacity. He was a bulldog in the midfield, winning 8 duels and not shying away from a tackle. He also showed quality going forward, creating two chances for his teammates. A really energetic and all-action display.

Forwards

Alexis Claude-Maurice - 6.0: A tricky customer who showed flashes of his dribbling ability. He drew three fouls and was a nuisance. However, his end product was lacking and he picked up a needless yellow card. He drifted in and out of the game before being substituted.

Anton Kade - 5.5: A really difficult game for the forward. Being caught offside three times is inexcusable at this level and it killed his team's momentum. He won a decent number of duels but offered very little threat in the final third. A performance he'll want to move on from quickly.

Fabian Rieder - 6.0: Tried to link the play between midfield and attack but struggled to make a real impact. He had one wild shot off target and lost the ball a few too many times. He worked hard but was ultimately well-marshalled by the Frankfurt defence.

Substitutes

Mert Kömür - 6.0: Came on but couldn't find a way to influence the game. Ismaël Gharbi - N/A: Limited minutes. Samuel Essende - N/A: Had a missed header but not enough time to rate.

Manager

M. Baum - 6.0: Set his team up to be defensively solid, and for large parts, they were. The disallowed goal was a moment of terrible luck that completely changed his game plan. However, his team lacked a cutting edge in attack and his substitutions failed to make the desired impact to find an equalizer.

Sportsdunia's player of the match is Ritsu Doan