Robin Fellhauer of FC Augsburg has etched his name into Bundesliga history, scoring the fastest goal in the competition's history after just eight seconds in a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich. The striker capitalised on a critical error from veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who failed to control a backpass from Luis Diaz immediately after kick-off.
Fellhauer revealed that his team had meticulously prepared for this exact scenario. "Before the match we discussed very clearly what Bayern's kick-off tactic is, namely that they play the ball back to Manuel Neuer and he knocks it forward," he explained after the match. His role was straightforward: exploit that predictability and prevent the goalkeeper from settling into possession. The plan worked to perfection. After getting past Alphonso Davies, Fellhauer spotted Neuer struggling with the backpass and immediately applied pressure. "I then saw that Manu had let the ball get away from him a little bit and I just tried to get as close as possible to put him under pressure," Fellhauer said.
Breaking a 16-Year-Old Record
Fellhauer's lightning finish surpassed the previous Bundesliga record held jointly by Kevin Volland and Karim Bellarabi, who each scored after nine seconds. Both former Germany internationals had held the mark for years, making Fellhauer's breakthrough particularly significant. When asked if it was the easiest goal of his career, Fellhauer smiled: "So far, you could say that." He did admit to one moment of doubt in front of an empty net: "If I'm honest, I thought I'd rather take another touch. Just so you don't shoot wide."
Despite the sensational start, Augsburg could not secure all three points. Rodrigo Ribeiro restored the visitors' lead in the 64th minute—again with Neuer at fault—before Nathaniel Brown equalised for Bayern in the 80th minute. Ismael Saibari had levelled the match at 1-1 in the 55th minute. The Bavarian side felt aggrieved when a Luis Diaz goal was disallowed in the 50th minute for an offside position, though former referee Patrick Itrrich criticised the decision, noting the goal came from a new phase of play after VAR intervention.
- Fellhauer's record: 8 seconds
- Previous record: 9 seconds (Volland, Bellarabi)
- Final scoreline: Augsburg 2-2 Bayern Munich
- Augsburg's Bundesliga position: 6th place with 8 points
With eight points from six league matches, coach Manuel Baum's Augsburg side sit sixth in the Bundesliga and have every reason to be satisfied with their strong opening to the campaign. Fellhauer's teammates congratulated him on the achievement, and he was reportedly told by Gregoritsch that he must buy the squad a round to mark the historic occasion. As Bayern continue to pursue consistency in the title race, Augsburg's ability to exploit defensive vulnerabilities at this level could define their season trajectory.
