Serbia had managed to control the match for much of the opening hour of play, but didn’t have a goal to show for it.
That was, at least, until Aleksandar Kolarov had his say in the matter.
The AS Roma man gave Serbia a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute after a stunning free kick that gave Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas no chance as he sprawled to his left.
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Watford captain Troy Deeney is considering a return to training after some of his concerns were allayed by a leading doctor.
Deeney, 31, declined to return to training last week due to fears of spreading the coronavirus to his five-month-old son, who struggles from breathing difficulties.
[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]
He also expressed concerns over how the virus has disproportionately affected the black community.
Deeney stated he never said his absence from training was permanent and that talks with Jonathan Van-Tam, the government’s deputy chief medical officer, have helped him.
“I’m potentially going to go in next week. Even if it’s just to have a conversation. I’ve already been in dialogue with all the players and all the management.”
Deeney also said he received some vile abuse directed at his son following his first comments, which is disgusting but unfortunately not surprising.
Watford is currently outside the Premier League drop zone on goal difference, one of three teams on 27 points. Deeney’s six goals share the team lead with Ismaila Sarr, and the veteran has scored 129 goals in his Hornets career.
Hornets goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes said this week that Watford “cannot afford” to be without the striker and that he believed the environment is very safe. Hopefully all things work out for Deeney and his family.
This midweek was all about Bayern Munich, who will win its eighth-straight Bundesliga title next month unless it suffers a shocking and historic collapse.
Bayern Munich’s 1-0 Tuesday defeat of Borussia Dortmund took the steam out of their Klassiker rivals’ title hopes, and it only got worse for fans wanting the title race to stretch deep into June.
[ MORE: Davies shines again | McKennie scores ]
Any club within shouting distance declined to raise a hand in protest, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach drawing lower-half sides and Bayer Leverkusen forgetting how to defend in a blowout home loss to Wolfsburg.
So now a Bayern team which has not lost in 14 matches, winning 13 of them, will need to fail miserably over the final six matches while someone else will need to take all 18 points available to them.
[ MORE: Three things we learned from Der Klassiker ]
Good luck with that.
Bayern’s six remaining matches were enough to think there would be a title fight if Dortmund at least drew the reigning champs but find the eight dropped points that would allow a perfect BVB to pass them:
Saturday – v. Fortuna Dusseldorf
June 6 – at Bayer Leverkusen
June 13 – v. Gladbach
June 16 – at Werder Bremen
June 20 – v. Freiburg
June 27 – at Wolfsburg
Maybe next year, because it’s incredibly unlikely this year.
[ MORE: Latest Bundesliga news | Current table ]
Nagelsmann rages as Leipzig blows chance
RB Leipzig won’t have liked Bayern Munich beating Dortmund — it would’ve likely preferred a draw, but it would’ve liked almost everything else it liked on the scoreboard Tuesday.
So to allow an early goal off a set piece to bottom-half (but admittedly in-form) Hertha Berlin and then toss away the good fortune of taking a 2-1 lead despite being down a man is just terrible.
This is a Leipzig side which defends so well and entered the match week having allowed the league’s fewest goals.
“We started well, but fell behind because we defend a set piece like a school team,” Nagelsmann said after the game. “We simply did nothing, everyone is standing in position, yet (Grujic) could finish with his foot in the box. This is the second time in a row in a home game that we conceded from a set piece. We have to blame ourselves for this. We’re happy that we scored another point, but I’m not happy at all.”
Leipzig has a manageable run into the final day aside from a Dortmund visit. Nagelsmann’s boys otherwise face Paderborn, Koln, Fortuna Dusseldorf, Augsburg, and an uneven Hoffenheim. They had some hope of catching Bayern and gaining sharpness for the Champions League, but only the latter looks likely after dropping two points to Hertha
Player of the Week
Austrian youth international Christoph Baumgartner has been moved all over the pitch this season, but he was a wizard in the final third as an attacking midfielder.
Hoffenheim rebounded from a terrible first two matches since the return from the coronavirus pause to beat Koln 3-1 on Wednesday, red cards going to each team.
Baumgartner did his damage early in scoring twice and adding an assist in building a 3-0 lead. He had two key passes, was four-of-four in take-ons, and won eight of 11 duels over 77 minutes.
Still 20 until Aug. 1, Baumgartner six goals and four assists in his first Bundesliga season.
And he’s got audacity for days. Look at this drag and drop assist to Steven Zuber.
Goooooolaaaaazo del Hoffenheim
3-0 al Köln 😱 goleada con una tremenda jugada en el área chica
En vivo 🔴https://t.co/ZtoGD1M5OT#Bundesliga l #Koln l #Hoffenheim pic.twitter.com/gUGrI4Ud7e
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 27, 2020
BEST XI
Sommer (Gladbach)
Baku (Mainz) — Boateng (Bayern) — Pongracic (Wolfsburg) — Davies (Bayern)
Grujic (Hertha) — Kimmich (Bayern) — Arnold (Wolfsburg)
Baumgartner (Hoffenheim) — Grifo (Freiburg)
Hennings (Fortuna)
Notes
[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]
SCORES
Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich — RECAP | Kimmich reacts
Werder Bremen 0-0 Borussia Monchengladbach — RECAP
Eintracht Frankfurt 3-3 Freiburg — RECAP
Bayer Leverkusen 1-4 Wolfsburg — RECAP
RB Leipzig 2-2 Hertha Berlin — RECAP
Augsburg 0-0 Paderborn — RECAP
Union Berlin 1-1 Mainz — RECAP
Hoffenheim 3-1 Koln — RECAP
Fortuna Dusseldorf 2-1 Schalke — RECAP | WATCH: McKennie’s goal
WEEK 29 SCHEDULE (Full season schedule here)
Freiburg v. Bayer Leverkusen — 2:30 p.m. ET Friday
Mainz v. Hoffenheim — 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday
Wolfsburg v. Eintracht Frankfurt — 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday
Schalke v. Werder Bremen — 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday
Hertha Berlin v. Augsburg — 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday
Bayern Munich v. Fortuna Dusseldorf — 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday
Borussia Monchengladbach v. Union Berlin — 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday
Paderborn v. Borussia Dortmund — Noon ET Saturday
Koln v. RB Leipzig — 2:30 p.m. ET Monday
STANDINGS
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Bayern Munich | 28 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 81 | 28 | 53 | 10-2-2 | 10-2-2 | 64 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 28 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 74 | 34 | 40 | 10-3-1 | 7-3-4 | 57 |
| RB Leipzig | 28 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 70 | 29 | 41 | 7-6-1 | 8-4-2 | 55 |
| Mönchengladbach | 28 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 53 | 34 | 19 | 9-2-3 | 7-3-4 | 53 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 28 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 53 | 36 | 17 | 7-4-3 | 9-1-4 | 53 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 28 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 40 | 34 | 6 | 4-6-4 | 7-3-4 | 42 |
| 1899 Hoffenheim | 28 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 39 | 48 | -9 | 6-1-8 | 5-5-3 | 39 |
| SC Freiburg | 28 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 38 | 40 | -2 | 6-2-5 | 4-6-5 | 38 |
| FC Schalke 04 | 28 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 34 | 45 | -11 | 5-6-3 | 4-4-6 | 37 |
| Hertha BSC Berlin | 28 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 41 | 50 | -9 | 4-3-7 | 5-5-4 | 35 |
| 1. FC Köln | 28 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 44 | 52 | -8 | 6-3-5 | 4-1-9 | 34 |
| FC Augsburg | 28 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 40 | 54 | -14 | 5-4-5 | 3-3-8 | 31 |
| 1. FC Union Berlin | 28 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 33 | 48 | -15 | 6-2-6 | 3-2-9 | 31 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 27 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 44 | 52 | -8 | 6-4-4 | 2-1-10 | 29 |
| FSV Mainz 05 | 28 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 37 | 61 | -24 | 4-2-8 | 4-2-8 | 28 |
| Fortuna Düsseldorf | 28 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 31 | 53 | -22 | 4-4-6 | 2-5-7 | 27 |
| Werder Bremen | 27 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 29 | 59 | -30 | 1-3-9 | 4-4-6 | 22 |
| SC Paderborn | 28 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 31 | 55 | -24 | 2-2-10 | 2-5-7 | 19 |
Goals and tired legs were everywhere in the midweek matches of the Bundesliga’s restart.
[ MORE: Latest Bundesliga news | Current table ]
First, the 10 men of RB Leipzig saw their title hopes drift away in a 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin.
Then came the 2:30 p.m. ET kickoffs, which saw a wonderful goal from an American at Schalke and an even better assist from Hoffenheim’s Christoph Baumgartner.
Read on, as the relegation and seventh-place pictures swung a little on Wednesday.
Fortuna Dusseldorf 2-1 Schalke
USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie’s diving header of a 54th-minute free kick gave goal starved Schalke a lift, but Fortuna Dusseldorf knocked it back to earth in painful fashion.
Rouwen Hennings and Kenan Karaman scored six second-half minutes apart as Fortuna picked up a huge three points for its bid to stay in the top flight. Fortuna moves a point back of safety and five points clear of 17th place Werder Bremen.
Schalke is now winless in 10 and sits ninth, dropping five points back of sixth-place Wolfsburg and two behind Hoffenheim. Seventh place may be enough for a Europa League spot.
The 21-year-old McKennie’s second goal of the season came in his 70th career Bundesliga match. It was just Schalke’s third goal since Jan. 17, and only two have come in the last seven (both from McKennie).
[ WATCH: McKennie’s diving header goal ]
The hosts dominated the early stages of the match but Schalke had the first real danger when Daniel Caligiuri used a slick flick and hard shot to force a fine save out of Florian Kastenmeier.
Fortuna had 76 percent of the ball at halftime and a 5-2 advantage in shots, but Everton loanee Jonjoe Kenny could’ve easily had it 1-0 to Schalke after the break had he got his foot around a Guido Burgstaller feed.
Kevin Stoger’s smashed free kick was only palmed into the air by Schalke keeper Markus Schubert in the 63rd minute and Hennings nodded the equalizer over the line from close range.
Hoffenheim 3-1 Koln
The red mist went both ways as 10-man Hoffenheim rebounded from a slow restart to Bundesliga life and collected a 2-0 home win over 10-man Koln.
Christoph Baumgartner’s two goals and an assist joined a 26th-minute red card for the visitors to build a 3-0 advantage, but Hoffenheim’s Benjamin Hubner picked up a second yellow in the 50th minute to put both sides down a man.
Jacob Bruun Larsen and Robert Skov played providers for Baumgartner and Steven Zuber also scored as Hoffenheim climbed into seventh with 39 points. Seventh could still be a Europa League spot depending on the winner of the German Cup.
Koln’s Florian Kainz scored at the hour mark but Mark Uth saw a late penalty saved by Oliver Baumann. Koln fails in a bid to join the top half and leaves Wednesday in 11th with 34 points.
Just look at Baumgartner’s pass on the third goal. He was absolutely feeling it.
Goooooolaaaaazo del Hoffenheim
3-0 al Köln 😱 goleada con una tremenda jugada en el área chica
En vivo 🔴https://t.co/ZtoGD1M5OT#Bundesliga l #Koln l #Hoffenheim pic.twitter.com/gUGrI4Ud7e
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 27, 2020
Union Berlin 1-1 Mainz
A bonafide relegation six-pointer, Union and Mainz traded goals in the first 33 minutes before a second Robert Andrich yellow card put the hosts in danger of slipping closer to the relegation places.
Union remained strong at the back, with 15 tackles, 11 interceptions, and 15 clearances to collect a point and, more importantly, keep Mainz three points in the rear view mirror.
Union sits 13th with 31 points, while Mainz’s 28 is just one more than 16th-place Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Augsburg 0-0 Paderborn
Last-place Paderborn needs wins but collected its third-straight draw of the restart and remain dead last with 19 points.
The visitors will feel they were the better win on the day, out-shooting Augsburg 15-11 but missing two big chances.
Augsburg is now just four points clear of the bottom three with 31 points.
Schalke hasn’t been able to buy goals lately, but its USMNT midfielder went to the dirty areas to steal his side a Wednesday lead.
Weston McKennie’s diving header of a Bastian Oczipka free kick gave Schalke its third goal since Jan. 17. McKennie has Schalke’s only two goals in their last seven matches.
Schalke has four draws and five losses in the stretch, and has conceded twice since McKennie’s opener in the 10th match of the winless run.
[ MORE: Latest Bundesliga news | Current table ]
Take nothing away from the quality of McKennie’s 54th-minute goal.
The 21-year-old’s second goal of the season came in his 70th career Bundesliga match and 86th senior appearance for the Royal Blues.
WESTON. MCKENNIE. 🎯
His second goal in four @Bundesliga_EN games puts @s04_us ahead at Düsseldorf. pic.twitter.com/GVOVZrJueY
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 27, 2020