Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Monchengladbach
FC Bayern took another step towards winning the Bundesliga tonight after Leon Goretzka scored a late goal to defeat Borussia Monchengladbach.
Young striker Joshua Zirkzee gave Bayern the lead before Benjamin Pavard put through his own net to bring Die Fohlen back into the game, but Bayern hit back in the second half to claim all three points.
Elsewhere in the other Bundesliga 2020 results, there was last-gasp drama in Dusseldorf where Erling Braut Haaland scored a 95th-minute winner to give Borussia Dortmund a win over Fortuna, and that extended Bayern’s wait for an eighth consecutive title.
With no Robert Lewandowski or Thomas Muller in their ranks, Bayern’s other players had a chance to shine. The prolific strike duo was suspended after picking up bookings in Bayern’s victory over Bayer Leverkusen last week.
So Hansi Flick made four changes, bringing in Lucas Hernandez, Mickael Cuisance, Ivan Peresic and 19-year-old Joshua Zirkzee, while Alphonso Davies and Kingsley Coman dropped down to the bench.
Highlights of the game
Monchengladbach began the game boosted by the news of Bayern’s absentees, but they lost a big player of their own on 10 minutes when Marcus Thuram, Die Fohlen’s top scorer and assist maker, limped off to be replaced by Breel Embolo.
The hosts had a great chance to go ahead a minute later when Perisic brilliantly chested the ball on to Cuisance who unleashed a fierce volley which flew inches over.
Then the visitors thought they had gone ahead when Embolo slid a ball through to Jonas Hofmann, who calmly struck the ball home. But Die Fohlen’s celebrations were cut short when VAR intervened and Hofmann was judged to be marginally offside.
When Bayern went ahead it was the usually reliable keeper Yann Sommer who committed a howler. Under no pressure at all, he played a pass across his own penalty area, which was seized on by young Zirkzee and he gleefully stroked the ball into the net.
And when Monchengladbach’s reply came, it was a complimentary defensive mistake to return the favour. Patrick Herrmann flew down the right wing and put a dangerous ball across, and with Lars Stindl ready to pounce, Bayern wing-back Benjamin Pavard put through his own net. The Frenchman has been in a rich vein of form recently but he didn’t cover himself in glory here.
On the stroke of half-time Perisic met a cross from Joshua Kimmich, but Sommer rose to catch his looping header. Both teams had been generous as they went in for the half-time talk at 1-1 and with all to play for.
Monchengladbach came out for the second half in lively mood as Ramy Bensebaini found space down the left and fired a lovely ball across the box. And when Embolo looked set to fire home Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer hacked the ball away. Moments later, Herrmann stung Neuer’s palms with a ferocious drive.
Flick responded by bringing Coman and Davies on to replace Cuisance and Hernandez in an attempt to breathe some life into Bayern’s attack, and it seemed to do the trick. Coman began to create havoc down the right wing, and when a chance came to Serge Gnabry his fierce volley was palmed away by Sommer.
And Bayern left it late, but they grabbed their winner on 86 minutes when Pavard made amends for his earlier gaffe and crossed for Leon Goretzka to prod the winner home.
Key statistics
Here at SBOBET, the pre-match Bundesliga 2020 betting odds for this game had Bayern at 1.36 to win, but it was a hard-fought clash with possession shared and Bayern winning the shot count by 10 to nine.
And that was enough to extend Bayern’s winning streak to 12 and push them one win away from the title.
What’s next?
The win means Bayern go seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table and Monchengladbach stay fourth and in a fight with Bayer Leverkusen for the final Champions League spot.
With the games coming thick and fast, Bayern are away at Werder Bremen next Tuesday. Their hosts are fighting for their lives and gave bottom club SC Paderborn 07 a 1-5 hiding today with two goals from former Everton star Davy Klaassen.
Meanwhile, Di Fohlen are at home to Wolfsburg, who drew 2-2 with fellow Europa chasers SC Freiburg. Big striker Wout Weghorst is back on the goal trail, scoring both of Die Wolfe’s goals today.
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