Augsburg’s Alexis Claude-Maurice makes Bundesliga history with first FCA flawless hat-trick | OneFootball

The Bundesliga is rapidly becoming accustomed to the previously rare “Lupenreiner” hat-trick. The German “flawless” hat-trick is only awarded when a player scores three goals in a single half, uninterrupted by any other goals from a player on either team.

It surprised literally no Germans when English scoring-machine Harry Kane collected his first “Lupenreiner” in a matchday seven encounter with VfB Stuttgart this season. When Kane recorded another “Lupenreiner” against Augsburg on matchday 11, the news was largely greeted with a shrug.

A player of Kane’s caliber – not to mention penalty taking skills – was bound to start raking in this honour soon enough. In truth, it merely came as a surprise that the Englishman didn’t accomplish the feat in his first season with German record champions Bayern Munich.

Matters did get a little strange towards the end of the calendar year, however, when VfL Bochum attacker Myron Boadu came off head coach Dieter Hecking’s blacklist to score a “Lupenreiner” in a 13-minute-span in a spectacular comeback draw against RB Leipzig on matchday 18.

Matters have now got stranger still

Augsburg attacking-midfielder Alexis Claude Maurice became the first player in his club’s history to ever complete a top flight “Lupenreiner” in Saturday’s 3-0 away win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Fuggerstädter are currently in their 14th year in the Bundesliga.

FCA head coach Jess Thorup and BMG trainer Gerardo Seoane both paid their respects. Augsburg are now unbeaten in seven successive league fixtures and effectively only four more league points away from securing their 15th straight year of Bundesliga football.

“I lost my voice shouting at half-time,” Thorup said in his post match interview with Sky Germany. “We did better after the break, controlled the game and created chances; especially Alexis. He did brilliantly.”

“We’ve seen how good Claude-Maurice is in at hitting spaces,” Seoane said at his post match press conference. “The three goals speak for themselves.”

“It’s an honour for me to be the first Augsburg player to score a flawless hat-trick in the Bundesliga,” the player himself added in the mixed zone. “We remained patient and then scored the decisive goals.”

GGFN | Peter Weis