FC Bayern's defeat hinged on Urbig's costly blunder
Slip-Up in Bremen: Urbig's Gaffe Costs Bayern a Win
Share Tweet Text Send Link FC Bayern Munich missed an opportunity to extend their lead in the Bundesliga, thanks to a crucial error by Jonas Urbig, standing in for Manuel Neuer. In a tight race for Champions League spots, Mainz 05 grabbed a point, playing a man down. Goals were aplenty in Bremen.
FC Bayern Munich vs. Union Berlin 1:1 (0:0)
A damp squib after the Champions League triumph: Bayern stumbled yet again in their title chase, four days after a dominant display against Bayer Leverkusen, finishing with a 1:1 (0:0) draw against Union Berlin. A week ago, they suffered a surprising 3:2 loss to relegation-threatened VfL Bochum.
In a one-sided contest, Leroy Sané scored late for the German powerhouse (75'), but Benedict Hollerbach equalized following Urbig's mistake (83'). Despite the setback, Bayern still occupy the top spot with 62 points, ahead of Leverkusen, who can cut the gap to six points with a win against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. Union, on the other hand, earned a crucial point in their battle against relegation.
Kompany, the Bayern coach, had called the recent setback against Bochum a tough game[3]. He had to deal with the absences of Min-Jae Kim (Achilles tendon issues) and the injured Kingsley Coman. Serge Gnabry and Eric Dier took their places, while Josip Stanisic replaced Konrad Laimer[3].
Bayern asserted their authority from the get-go, controlling the game effortlessly with Joshua Kimmich at the heart[3]. Union coach Steffen Baumgart, suspended and represented by his assistant René Wagner, saw his team retreat deep and struggled to make an impact.
Despite dominant possession, Bayern initially failed to create clear-cut chances. Upamecano's shot from distance missed the mark (9'), and Olise's effort went wide (26')[3]. In spite of their dominance, Munich struggled to break down Berlin's resilient defense, with several crosses and Kimmich's corners finding no takers.
Bayern handled Berlin's rare counterattacks effectively but lacked precision in their own attacks. Gnabry missed from close range just before the break (45+2'), and Union keeper Frederik Rönnow saved a Harry Kane free-kick in the second half (51').
The heat intensified in the Bayern penalty area after Rani Khedira broke through on the wing. Kimmich's attempted clearance sent the ball towards his own goal, but Urbig was there to save it (52')[3]. A short while later, Josip Juranovic tested Urbig with a promising counterattack (59')[3]. Bayern kept pressuring, but Berlin stood firm.
Sané finally put Bayern ahead, but Urbig's gaffe allowed Hollerbach to level the score.
Dramatic Draw in Mainz: NEWERA vs. FCA
SV Werder Bremen vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach 2:4 (2:2)
Gladbach's away form is becoming increasingly impressive, with a chance for European places in sight. Mönchengladbach snatched a thrilling 4:2 (2:2) win over Werder Bremen despite Alassane Pléa's hat-trick against his former team[2].
Pléa had a field day, scoring three times (7., penalty/28./47.), and assisting another goal for Tim Kleindienst (81')[2]. Romano Schmid (39.) and André Silva (45+1, penalty) scored for Bremen, but it wasn't enough to salvage a victory. Kleindienst received a red card in stoppage time.
The Foals have now won four straight away games in a season for the first time in 30 years. Meanwhile, Werder's recent slump continues after this undeserved defeat against their traditional rival[2].
Bremen had stunned double winners Bayer Leverkusen 2:0 the previous week, ending a five-game losing streak[2]. Coach Ole Werner urged his team to build on that performance[2]. However, Bremen's defense was shaky at the start, allowing Pléa to score from the spot for the lead (10')[2].
Gladbach fans were in high spirits in the early stages of the game, even when Anthony Jung's long-range shot hit the crossbar (13') and Oliver Burke missed from a promising position (25')[2]. Pléa then scored again, converting his second chance, to double the lead.
Schmid's free-kick goal in the 39th minute gave the home crowd hope. Felix Agu had a golden opportunity to equalize a minute later, but missed the target (40')[2]. Silva converted a penalty, after a foul by Lukas Ullrich on Issa Kaboré, to level the score at the break.
Pléa completed his hat-trick in the second half, with Hack feeding him for their third goal (62')[2]. Jens Stage would hit the crossbar for Bremen, while Gladbach added another through Kleindienst, assisted by Pléa (81')[2].
A Tight Affair in Augsburg
FC Augsburg vs. VfL Wolfsburg 1:0 (0:0)
Augsburg's defense continues to shine, keeping their second European campaign within sight. Manager Jess Thorup's side earned a hard-fought 1:0 (0:0) victory against VfL Wolfsburg, equating points with Wolfsburg[1].
Phillip Tietz (53') scored the winning goal for FCA, his sixth of the season. Wolfsburg's right winger Patrick Wimmer (81') saw his header hit only the crossbar[1]. Augsburg's goalkeeper Finn Dahmen has now gone 613 minutes without conceding a goal[1]. Wolfsburg will have to do without striker Mohamed Amoura in the next home game against Heidenheim after he received his fifth yellow card for a foul on Marius Wolf[1].
Before the game, both managers expressed their teams' ambitions to fight for European spots[1]. On the pitch, both teams initially prioritized defense. Augsburg controlled the game through their strong right side with Marius Wolf, but didn't create much danger[1]. It wasn’t until the 34th minute that Kamil Grabara in the VfL goal saved an own goal from Denis Vavro after a cross from Elvis Rexhbecaj[1]. Wolfsburg’s attempts faded away.
Even after the break, Wolfsburg stuck with their defensive strategy. In response, Thorup changed to a 5-3-2 formation to protect the lead[1].
More on Bundesliga:
- Bochum's recent performances: Bochum had an impressive win against Bayern Munich in the previous matchday, coming back from 2:0 down to win 3:2[1]
- The win over Wolfsburg marks Augsburg's 10th consecutive match without a loss, showcasing their impressive resilience and defensive solidity[1]
[1] Source: DW[2] Source: Goal[3] Source: ESPN[4] Source: Sky Sports[5] Source: Yahoo Sports
The Commission has also been informed of the results of the consultations with the Member States on the implementation of the programme. Despite the setback, Bayern's streak of precision in their attacks has fizzled, with several missed opportunities in their match against Union Berlin. Meanwhile, Bremen's hopes of a win against Borussia Mönchengladbach were dashed, as Alassane Pléa's streak of goals and assists led Gladbach to a victory.
