AUGSBURG, Germany, 11th October 2026 – Sierra Leone international centre-back, Abdulai Juma Bah made a dream start to life in Germany on Saturday, putting in a battling debut performance as FC Augsburg held champions Bayern Munich to a thrilling 2-2 draw.
The 20-year-old, who joined Augsburg on a season-long loan from English Premier League giants Manchester City on 1st September, was thrown straight into the starting XI for the Matchday 5 clash at the WWK Arena in front of a sold-out crowd.
Bah, wearing the No.35 shirt, played 82 minutes and showed exactly why Manchester City paid €6 million to sign him from Real Valladolid in January 2025. Despite being up against Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz, the Freetown-born defender stood tall.
It was a historic afternoon for other reasons too. Augsburg took the lead after just 8.4 seconds, the fastest goal in Bundesliga history, when Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer tried to chip the ball over Robin Fellhauer from kick-off and Fellhauer tapped into an empty net. The Bundesliga later confirmed it beat the previous 9-second record held by Kevin Volland and Karim Bellarabi.
How Bah Performed:
Bayern dominated possession after that and tested the young Leone Stars defender repeatedly, but Bah kept his composure:
– He was forced to soak up pressure as Bayern pushed, with Kane hitting the crossbar just before half-time.
– In the 35th minute, he almost capped his debut with a goal, but scooped over from close range after a corner scramble.
– He was finally substituted in the 82nd minute for Jeffrey Gouweleeuw to a big applause from the home fans, with Augsburg leading 2-1 at that stage.
Bayern levelled twice through Morocco international Ismael Saibari (55’) and substitute Nathaniel Brown (80’), both assisted by Kane. Rodrigo Ribeiro had restored Augsburg’s lead in between.
From Freetown To Bundesliga
For Sierra Leoneans, Bah’s rise continues to be a source of pride.
Born in Freetown on 11th April 2006, he helped his parents in their bakery and played street football before being spotted by agent Chernor Musa Jalloh at Freetown Giant Academy. He started his senior career at AIK Freetong and Freetonians SLIFA, where he captained the side, before becoming the first Sierra Leonean to play in La Liga with Real Valladolid in 2024.
After joining Manchester City, he has gained top-level experience on loan at RC Lens and OGC Nice, where he made 41 appearances last season in Ligue 1 and Europe. He now has 7 caps and 1 goal for the Leone Stars.
Augsburg signed him as a direct replacement for Keven Schlotterbeck who left for Southampton. Sporting Director Benni Weber said: “With Juma, we have signed a talented player whose size, physique, and abilities make him a great fit for us. Even at a young age, he brings a wealth of playing experience.”
The 1.95m defender will now hope to stay fit after coming off with what looked like a minor knock, as Augsburg pushes to improve on last season’s mid-table finish.
