Bayern before the Salzburg duel only 1-1 against Leverkusen
Good omens for Austria’s soccer champions Salzburg: Bayern Munich missed a home win against third-placed Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga on Saturday. With a 1-1 draw in the 25th round, the record champions were far from their former sovereignty, but they can afford to lose points with a nine-point lead over their pursuer Dortmund, who played later, despite whistles after the end of the game.
In the race for the other Champions League places, fourth-placed Leipzig came late to a performance-oriented 1-1 against fifth-placed Freiburg. Eintracht Frankfurt found their way back to winning ways with a 4-1 win at Hertha BSC and exacerbated the relegation problems for the Berliners. There was also a siege for Wolfsburg (against Union Berlin) and Bochum (against Fürth).
Bayern initially dominated the game and consequently took the lead with a shot by Niklas Süle (18′), but had to save a flattering 1-1 at the break. Thomas Müller scored the equalizer with a curious own goal (his first in the 407th league game) and the almost turning point out of nowhere (36th). The veteran used a Demirbay free-kick with his long leg as usual only on the other side. Far and wide there is no Leverkusen player ready to graduate.
Shortly thereafter, the Munich team revealed familiar insecurities on the defensive. Dayot Upamecano once again made a disastrous back pass, which was ignored by Amine Adli’s shot at the post. The ex-Salzburger Upamecano again presented himself as a weak point, which his former employer WILL be happy to register before the second leg in the premier class on Tuesday (9 p.m.) in Munich. The guests with Julian Baumgartlinger on the bench, but do not use further invitations.
Marcel Sabitzer and Leroy Sane should set it up as substitutes at the hour mark for the record champions, who are now playing with a defensive triple chain. Sabitzer appears less than two minutes into the game in a suspected offside position alone in front of Lukas Hradecky, but fails with his big attempt at the goalie. The ÖFB star is still without a goal in Bayern dress.
In the initially enormously static duel between table neighbors Leipzig and Freiburg, Ermedin Demirovic (38th) scored for the guests after “assistance” by Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara, who clearly wanted to. The lead lasted for a long time, Leipzig without Konrad Laimer played far away from Furios, but Angeliño (90th) scored the well-deserved equalizer in the last minute of regular time.
In a duel between two teams that had suffered three defeats in a row, Hertha BSC was a welcome opponent for Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht Frankfurt. Ansgar Knauff with a header (17′), Tuta (48′), Jesper Lindström (56′) and Rafael Borré (63′) ensured the well-deserved 4-1 victory for the team around defender Martin Hinteregger. Davie Selke only gave the “old lady” hope for a short time (61′). The Berliners lying on relegation place 16 are in free fall: Six of the last eight games were lost.
Wolfsburg’s 1-0 win against Union Berlin was just as hard-fought as Bochum’s 2-1 home win over bottom Greuther Fürth. In Wolfsburg, Union top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi headed in early, but after a corner kick into his own goal (24′). ÖFB team player Xaver Schlager is back in Wolfsburg’s starting eleven for the first time since August after recovering from a cruciate ligament rupture. He was allowed to run 64 minutes. At Berlin, Christopher Trimmel remained on the bench.