Bournemouth beats Augsburg 5-2 in experimental four-quarter friendly

AFC Bournemouth defeated FC Augsburg 5-2 on July 30, 2026, in a pre-season friendly at the Saalfelden Arena in Austria, using an experimental format of four 30-minute quarters. The match formed part of Bournemouth's Austrian training camp under new manager Marco Rose, following their 4-1 victory over St. Pauli, while Augsburg prepared for the Bundesliga season under Manuel Baum.

Bournemouth dominated the contest, with Evanilson opening the scoring in the 11th minute after goalkeeper Finn Dahmen fumbled a back pass. Tóth and Gannon-Doak added goals in the second half to make it 3-0, with Bournemouth's first-choice lineup keeping Augsburg at bay through the first 60 minutes. The German side showed resilience after mass substitutions in the second half, pulling goals back through Alexis Claude-Maurice from the penalty spot (72nd minute) and Tim Schnitzer from a corner kick (84th minute), but Bournemouth struck twice more through Marcus Tavernier (87th) and Enes Ünal (109th) to seal the win.

The one-sided nature of the second half illustrated the impact of tactical adjustments. After Augsburg made seven substitutions simultaneously, the team struggled to maintain cohesion, conceding four goals in quick succession. Bournemouth's rotating use of both squads across the four 30-minute periods allowed Marco Rose to assess depth and tactical options ahead of the Premier League season opener against Manchester City on August 23. Augsburg face their DFB-Pokal tie against Energie Cottbus on August 22.

The match was overshadowed by an injury to Augsburg midfielder Mert Kömür, who sustained a foot injury after attempting to intercept a ball going out of play. The 21-year-old academy product, who made 28 Bundesliga appearances in 2025–26, was substituted as a precaution and underwent no immediate diagnosis. The injury raised concerns about his availability for Augsburg's season start, with Hull City reportedly having shown interest in the midfielder.