Augsburg take important points in fight for Conference League spot

Augsburg took important three points in the fight to qualify for the Conference League next season with a 2-0 win against Union Berlin on Friday.

After a slow first half, Phillip Tietz capitalized on a sloppy back pass from Diogo Leite and slotted the ball into the net from close range to give the hosts the lead early in the second half.

Former Union striker Sven Michel played a one-two with Arne Maier before sending the ball past goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow to put the game to bed in the 81st minute.

Augsburg haven't played in an international competition since the 2015-16 season, when they made their European debut at the Europa League.

With Friday's win, they are three points behind Eintracht Frankfurt, the team currently in the Conference League spot.

"It's an amazing feeling, you could see after the game the type of team we have," Tietz told broadcasters DAZN. After the final whistle, players celebrated with the fans and their families on the pitch.

"We're very proud, it was a great evening," he said.

Union, meanwhile, are in a much more complicated situation. They are six points from the relegation zone, but that gap can get shorter after the matches at the weekend.

"We gave Augsburg everything like a gift. They are very lucky to have an opponent like us, who gives them everything," coach Nenad Bjelica told DAZN.

Bayer Leverkusen can claim their first-ever Bundesliga title if they beat Werder Bremen at home on Sunday. The title could come the day before if Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart lose their matches against Cologne and Frankfurt, respectively.