Bayern Munich's Rough Night in Frankfurt
Despite dominating possession, Bayern Munich found themselves in a hole against Eintracht Frankfurt on a rainy Saturday afternoon, suffering their first Bundesliga loss of the season.
Just a minute into the game, Frankfurter winger Ansgar Knauff took advantage of Alphonso Davies' poor defending, sprinting into the penalty area and finishing it off with a shot that narrowly missed the target courtesy of Manuel Neuer's intervention. The tone for the game was set.
Eintracht's relentless pressure paid off in the 12th minute, with the game becoming chaotic as Bayern defender Mazraoui failed to clear a Butta cross and the ball bounced to Fares Scheibi, whose hand-balled effort hit the crossbar before Omar Marmouche controlled it, beat Neuer, and gave Frankfurt the lead with a composed finish.
Bayern had a chance to equalize in the 25th minute, with Leon Goretzka playing a brilliant pass to Harry Kane on the left side of Frankfurt's penalty area. Despite the English star's effort going wide, the Bayern attack looked threatening.
Harry Kane tried several shots throughout the game but couldn't convert this chance, a foretaste of what was to come. As the rain continued, Backheel King Knauff proved to be a thorn in Bayern's side again in the 31st minute, outmuscling Kim Min-jae and setting up Eric Junior for a chance that Neuer just managed to keep out.
Frankfurt's pressure began to pay off again in the 36th minute, with Hugo Larsson's perfect through-ball cutting through the Bayern defense and setting up an opportunity for Malmouche, who scored past Neuer to make it 2-0.
Bayern found a lifeline just before half-time, with Joshua Kimmich's spectacular strike from outside the penalty area giving them a glimmer of hope.
The second half began with Bayern pouring forward, searching for an equalizer. A chance to take the lead went begging as Kimmich's headed effort was cleared, and the ball was played into Choupo-Moting, who was denied by a superb block.
But Frankfurt continued to create chances, and it was Dayot Upamecano's misfortune that saw them score again. His attempt to push forward was thwarted by Chaibi, who quickly switched play and set up Ebimbe for Frankfurt's second goal of the night.
Frankfurt's lead was extended when a VAR review confirmed their third goal, and the jubilant Eintracht supporters were delighted as the misery of the Bayern players ended their title defense ambitions.
Thomas Tuchel bemoaned Bayern's performance, stating their lack of intensity and the abundance of individual mistakes. "We didn't meet our usual standards," he said in a BBC interview. "Our preparations didn't reflect the way the team played today, with far too many individual errors showing up."
Thomas Muller echoed his coach's comments, acknowledging Frankfurt's superior play and committing to bouncing back.
"There's no need for explanations," Muller told reporters. "We have to give Frankfurt our congratulations. They deserved the win. We were beaten in the first half. If we lose 5-1, we need to react, and that's what we'll do. We didn't have enough time to prepare, but we'll be back."
With Manchester United struggling to find their footing in the Premier League and suffering a 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth at the weekend, Bayern will look to make amends in their upcoming Champions League encounter, aiming to reach the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition.
Insights:
- Bayern Munich's defense has been impressive throughout the season, conceding only 19 goals in 22 games.
- Eintracht Frankfurt has been in excellent attacking form, with Hugo Ekitiké scoring 17 goals and assisting six in all competitions.
- Despite Bayern's dominance in possession, they struggled to create clear-cut chances against Eintracht's solid defense.
- Harry Kane's injury concerns could have impacted Bayern's offensive gameplan and contingency plans.
- The mental toll of the defeat and the rushed preparation may have affected Bayern's performance and morale.
