Augsburg won the battle of Bavaria on Saturday afternoon as they ensured Bayern Munich’s worrying Bundesliga form continued.
After a cagey start, Leroy Sané should have given Bayern the lead on 17 minutes but after being slipped through on the right, he could only fire straight at the goalkeeper when he looked set to score.
Leon Goretzka came even closer when a deft Jamal Musiala flick set him up in the six-yard box, only to be denied by an incredible goal-line clearance from Maximilian Bauer, although the Bayern midfielder had been involved in an equally important block earlier in the half at the other end.
The opener, and eventual winner, did come 14 minutes after half-time when Mergim Berisha steered the ball into the corner after being picked out in the centre of the area by the thigh of Iago as Bayern’s static defence was caught cold.
The visitors swiftly turned up the pressure with Thomas Müller and Musiala quickly going close but faded in the closing stages, aside from a thunderous Marcel Sabitzer strike which zipped inches wide and a powerful Manuel Neuer header from a corner, as their domestic form stretched to four games without a win.
Their first loss of that run leaves them in fourth, three points off new leaders Dortmund and is the first time they have failed to score in a league game since February 2020 – bringing an 87-game run to an end.
Moukoko is Dortmund’s derby hero
Youssoufa Moukoko wrote his name into Revierderby lore as his late winner saw Borussia Dortmund overcome a stubborn Schalke at the Westfalenstadion on Saturday afternoon.
In the opening half hour, Dortmund were dealt a blow as captain Marco Reus joined their growing injury list as he was stretchered off in tears with an ankle injury after twisting it in the wrong way and his reaction seemed to suggest it could be a serious problem.
Aside from a Jude Bellingham header which followed instantly, the remainder of the half largely played out in a subdued manner following that devastating injury to Reus and the sides exited at the interval scoreless.
Few further big opportunities followed after the interval, with both sides defending well and offering little real cutting edge in attack until 79 minutes when Moukoko was sprung from the bench to become the hero, thumping home a close range header.
In doing so, he became the fixture’s youngest ever goalscorer at 17 years and 301 days.
The victory moves BVB to the top of the table, although both Union Berlin and Freiburg will have the chance to leapfrog them before the international break.
Bayern’s winless run continues with shock loss
Augsburg won the battle of Bavaria on Saturday afternoon as they ensured Bayern Munich’s worrying Bundesliga form continued.
After a cagey start, Leroy Sané should have given Bayern the lead on 17 minutes but after being slipped through on the right, he could only fire straight at the goalkeeper when he looked set to score.
Leon Goretzka came even closer when a deft Jamal Musiala flick set him up in the six-yard box, only to be denied by an incredible goal-line clearance from Maximilian Bauer, although the Bayern midfielder had been involved in an equally important block earlier in the half at the other end.
The opener, and eventual winner, did come 14 minutes after half-time when Mergim Berisha steered the ball into the corner after being picked out in the centre of the area by the thigh of Iago as Bayern’s static defence was caught cold.
The visitors swiftly turned up the pressure with Thomas Müller and Musiala quickly going close but faded in the closing stages, aside from a thunderous Marcel Sabitzer strike which zipped inches wide and a powerful Manuel Neuer header from a corner, as their domestic form stretched to four games without a win.
Their first loss of that run leaves them in fourth, three points off new leaders Dortmund and is the first time they have failed to score in a league game since February 2020 – bringing an 87-game run to an end.