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Arminia Bielefeld vs. Augsburg: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

bundesliga.com, 3 March 2022, 12:15
Masaya Okugawa is out to add to his team-leading eight goals for the season, but Ricardo Pepi is still searching for his first in the Bundesliga when Arminia Bielefeld host Augsburg on Friday (kick-off: 8.30pm CET).
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Okugawa has scored fives times across his last nine Bundesliga appearances, albeit just once in his last five. With a further three goals earlier in the campaign, the Japanese playmaker ranks not only as Bielefeld's top scorer, but a harbinger of positive results. Arminia are unbeaten in seven of the eight league games this season that their talismanic No.11 has found the back of the net. Add January Rookie of the Month Patrick Wimmer's nine-goal hand to the equation, and it's no wonder Bielefeld have given themselves such a fighting chance of avoiding the drop. Defeat to Bayer Leverkusen was only their second reverse in nine matches - an encouraging run that has put Frank Kramer's charges two points clear of 15th-placed Augsburg after 24 rounds of fixtures. Starting three of the last four, centre-back Guilherme Ramos appears to have edged ahead of Amos Pieper in the pecking order, but midfielder Sebastian Vasiliadis is a doubt. Winter transfer Gonzalo Castro - a veteran of some 416 Bundesliga appearances - could come in.

Augsburg climbed out of the relegation play-off place on goal difference after coming from behind to draw with second-placed Borussia Dortmund last weekend. Noah Sarenren Bazee made the difference with the equalising goal from the bench, but isn't expected to start. Head coach Markus Weinzierl could instead recall the suspension-free Andre Hahn alongside Ruben Vargas. Either way, US international Pepi will likely revert to the substitutes' bench. Still acclimatising to the German game following his January move from Major League Soccer outfit FC Dallas, the 19-year-old striker is six Bundesliga games without a goal. Fellow forward Andi Zeqiri remains a doubt, while midfielder Niklas Dorsch serves a mandatory one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards. Carlos Gruezo - a second-half substitute against Dortmund - is set to fill in. Felix Uduokhai's return to form and fitness, meanwhile, together with right-back Robert Gumny's ongoing ankle troubles, should ensure Weinzierl's three-man defence remains unchanged.

Match stats

Okugawa registered a goal and two assists in 13 Bundesliga outings during the second half of last season. He's produced eight, as well as one assist, in 23 so far this term

Like Okugawa, Wimmer has been directly involved in nine goals (three of his own, plus six assists).

Bielefeld are unbeaten in their last six home matches (W2, D4).

Pepi has registered six shots in as many Bundesliga appearances, testing the opposition goalkeeper twice.

Michael Gregoritsch is Augsburg's six-goal top scorer this season, with four falling in seven games since the turn of the year.

Augsburg are yet to lose in seven Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 meetings with Arminia (W5, D2).

Probable line-ups

Bielefeld: Ortega (c) - Brunner, Ramos, Nilsson, Laursen - Kunze, Schöpf - Wimmer, Castro, Okugawa - Serra

Out: -

Doubtful: Vasiliadis (foot)

Coach: Frank Kramer

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Oxford, Gouweleeuw (c), Uduokhai - Caligiuri, Maier, Gruezo, Pedersen - Gregoritsch - Hahn, Vargas

Out: Dorsch (suspended), Finnbogason (groin), Gumny (ankle), Strobl (knee)

Doubtful: Zeqiri (not included)

Coach: Markus Weinzierl

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