Why was the match between Augsburg and Union Berlin Bundesliga interrupted?

Marin Ljubicic scored a stoppage-time goal on Thursday to salvage a 1-1 draw for 10-man Union against Augsburg in a Bundesliga match disrupted in the first half by fans throwing toy balls onto the pitch.

Alexis Claude-Maurice’s daring strike just before half-time put Augsburg on course for victory, and he hit the post with another attempt in the second half.

Union’s hopes of a comeback seemed over when defender Derrick Köhn was sent off in the 89th for catching Samuel Essende on the shoulder with his boot while challenging for a high ball.

That did not stop Ljubicic from tapping the ball into the net with the outside of his foot in stoppage time, after Augsburg failed to clear the ball.

Toy balls and other objects flew onto the pitch as fans protesting against Bundesliga scheduling forced a five-minute stoppage in the first half.

The objects were thrown from the stands when the ball went behind Augsburg’s goal in the 32nd minute. Players, substitutes and staff all joined in to clear the pitch before play could resume in the 37th.

Fans displayed two banners protesting the decision to hold a rare match on Thursday and calling for more matches to be played on a traditional Saturday afternoon.

With 18 teams and a 34-match season, midweek matches in the Bundesliga are rarer than in other major European leagues.

Playing on Thursday was the result of the league’s TV broadcast contract, which came into effect this season and required five different kick-off times for each round of matches, the German agency said dpa reported. This midweek round also had early and late matches on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Published on January 16, 2026