Caiuby's late winner vs. Schalke lifts Augsburg out of drop zone

Augsburg's local newspaper "Augsburger Allgemeine" described Thursday's Europa League triumph as the “Miracle of Belgrade” after the Bavarians securing knockout stage football for the first time in its history. Contrast to conventional wisdom in football, which devalues Europe's second-tier tournament, the UEFA Europa League has rejuvinated the club's season. The last-gasp 2-1 win over Schalke in the Bundesliga keeps Augsburg unbeaten in their last four league games. The transformation is marked for a club that had to wait until the end of November to pick up a win on their travels.

Promoted for the first time in 2011, the Bavarians have since become a regular feature in Germany's top-flight, espousing a model of stability and shrewdness. Augsburg, as expected given their weaker resources, regressed to the mean in the first few weeks of the season and have since been locked in a battle to secure its Bundesliga status among a clutch of other under-performing sides. On matchday 12, Augsburg was bottom of the Bundesliga and started the weekend in the relegation zone.

But it's in Europe though where Augsburg's season has come to life. Finishing fifth in the league last season ahead of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, Weinzierl guided the club into Europe for the first time, but with back-to-back defeats in the group phase, qualification looked beyond them. Culminating in a dramatic last-gasp winner from Raul Bobadilla to beat Partizan Belgrade, Augsburg's late recovery in Europe has been like a paradigm shift in the atmosphere around the club. The Europe League, despite its ills, has been a welcome distraction from league matters.

Off the back of two wins against AZ Alkmaar, Augsburg are once again firing in domestic football. Weinzierl's side beat Stuttgart 4-0 to end Alexander Zorniger's reign at the club before drawing at home to Wolfsburg and beating Cologne away last weekend. Of all the sides in the bottom-six, Augsburg looks in the best shape to avoid a nerve-jangling relegation scrap at the end of the season.

Before kickoff, Augsburg was dealt with some bad news: Jan Ingwer Callsen Bracker will be out for around four months following a knee injury sustained in Serbia. Callsen-Bracker has epitomized Augsburg's performances in the Bundesliga: determined, industrious and assured. Weinzierl was also without their experienced club captain Paul Verhaegh who is currently suspended.

The prematch momentum was certainly with Schalke – the Royal Blues were unbeaten in their last four matches - but Augsburg cut out the service lines to young starlet Leroy Sane. With first-choice left-back Dennis Aogo missing, Augsburg's overlaps on the right-wing were a fruitful tactic in the opening 45 minutes. Markus Feulner fell embarrassingly in the box, looking for a spot kick on 13 minutes, but the referee ignored the shouts.

The opener on 33 minutes carried a degree of fortune. Alexander Esswein's first-time shot struck South Korean defender Jeong-Ho Hong and beat Ralf Fährmann, the Schalke keeper's shouts for offside going unheard by the match officials. Schalke and Sane had fleeting chances inside the box: the 19-year-old's shot midway through the half blocked by Marwin Hitz – the Swiss goalie was handed a bill for sabotaging Cologne's pitch last week just as Anthony Modeste was set to take a penalty kick.

Goals have been in short supply for the Bavarians. Raul Bobadilla has played like a superstar in Europe with six goals in five matches, but has managed just three strikes in the Bundesliga. Last season's top scorer Tobias Werner is out long-term, while Andre Hahn left to join Borussia Mönchengladbach the season before last. Replacing players of genuine quality is a struggle for Augsburg, and recent moves in the transfer market to bolster attacking options have had mixed success. Signing Ja-Cheol Koo on a four-year-deal this season however has added technique and control to the team as midfield strategist Halil Altintop looks to get back to full fitness.

Schalke got back into the game around the hour mark. Leon Goretzka smashed the crossbar on 53 minutes before Sead Kolasinac finished off a well-worked team move to level the scores with 20 minutes to play. As Augsburg pushed forward in the final 10 minutes, it looked like Caiuby had squandered the best chance of the game from a corner kick, but the Brazilian, who scored in Belgrade, fired home in the first minute of added on time to secure the club's first league win against the Royal Blues. The win continues the Augsburg's recent improvement, the Bavarians moving of the bottom-three into 13th-place on 16 points before rounding off the year in Hamburg next weekend.