Bayern in danger of missing out on Bundesliga title

Germany lost 1-3 to Leipzig in round 33, Bayern Munich is still one point ahead of Dortmund but has played one more match.

Bayern entered the match determined to welcome Leipzig, because a victory would give coach Thomas Tuchel and his team a great chance to defend the Bundesliga championship. The home team had the lead as desired, but their sloppiness in defense cost them their first home defeat against Leipzig in history.

Bayern players disappointed after losing to Leipzig. Photo: AP

After Thomas Muller's missed chances early in the match, Bayern took the lead in the 25th minute. Muller set up Serge Gnabry whose shot hit the inside of the post and went straight into the net, leaving goalkeeper Janis Blaswich helpless.

Leipzig fought back well after conceding the goal, but could not defeat goalkeeper Yann Sommer. On the other side of the front line, Bayern had many opportunities to increase the score but missed them all, notably the situation where Kingsley Coman headed the ball wide of the post while unmarked.

In the second half, Bayern continued to push up their formation and control the game. But the home team paid the price for taking the risk when they took the lead. Starting from a four-on-one counterattack in the 64th minute, Konrad Laimer equalized the score 1-1 for Leipzig. Laimer is the player who will join Bayern next season on a free transfer.

Laimer (left) celebrates scoring the equalizer 1-1 for Leipzig. Photo: AP

With the equalizer, Leipzig played with excitement while Bayern were impatient and lost confidence. The home team conceded two more goals at the end of the match, both from penalties. In the 74th minute, Benjamin Pavard illegally tackled Christopher Nkunku and in the 85th minute, Noussair Mazraoui handled the ball in the penalty area. Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai successfully took advantage of the opportunity, helping Leipzig win 3-1 and secure a third-place finish for the season, which meant a direct ticket to the Champions League group stage.

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga with 68 points after 33 games, one point ahead of Dortmund but having played one game more. In the final round, Bayern are likely to get three points when they only have to face Cologne. But that victory will be meaningless if Dortmund win their final two games of the season against Augsburg and Mainz 05.

Vy Anh

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