Bremen ends Bayern's 9-game winning run with 1-1 draw
Ciarán Fahey | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 2 months AGO
BERLIN (AP) — Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich fought back to draw with Werder Bremen 1-1 as its nine-game winning run across all competitions ended Saturday.
Maximilian Eggestein fired Bremen ahead before the break, but the visitors were unable to hold on for what would have been their first victory over Bayern since a 5-2 win in Munich in September 2008.
Leon Goretzka crossed for Kingsley Coman to equalize in the 62nd minute.
Bayern had won its last 19 games against Bremen since a 0-0 draw in September 2010, and coach Hansi Flick began with Goretzka, Serge Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich on the bench, while the 17-year-old Jamal Musiala made his first start.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who conceded six goals in Germany’s Nations League defeat to Spain on Tuesday, did well to deny Josh Sargent and even better when he followed up to thwart Ludwig Augustinsson from the rebound in the 16th.
Bayern defender Lucas Hernández had to go off with what looked like a back injury shortly afterward. Goretzka came on and Javi Martínez moved back to defense, with David Alaba moving over to take Hernández’s place on the left.
Sargent held off Martínez’s challenge and pulled the ball back for Eggestein to break the deadlock just before halftime.
Milot Rashica missed a good chance to make it 2-0 after the break, before Bayern finally responded.
Douglas Costa struck the crossbar, and Coman and Robert Lewandowski tried their luck before Goretzka crossed for Coman to equalize at the near post.
Bayern substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting fired over when it appeared easier to score, before Bremen had a chance to grab a late winner through Sargent. Neuer got the better of their one-on-one.
COMEDY GOAL
Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky will not be allowed to forget his own-goal that saw Arminia Bielefeld equalize without having had a shot on goal.
Hradecky slipped as he attempted to kick out Daley Sinkgraven’s back pass. He only brushed the ball as it continued into his goal for Bielefeld to equalize early in the second half.
Fortunately for the Finnish goalkeeper, Aleksandar Dragovic scored late as unbeaten Leverkusen prevailed 2-1.
Ten-man Augsburg also scored late to draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-1.
Schalke’s club record winless streak stretched to 24 games after losing 2-0 to Wolfsburg, and Hoffenheim conceded late to draw with Stuttgart 3-3.
Leipzig was held 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt, giving Borussia Dortmund a chance to move second with a win at Hertha Berlin in the late game.
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