Leverkusen 1-3 Bayern Munich: Visitors escape slip-up at dogged Bayer
A very enthralling game was produced by Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich as the hosts, Werkself, ensured they had scored in every game this season despite the loss, and Bayern had won their fifth match in a row to move 14 points clear of the nearest pursuers.
Bayern Munich (4-3-3): Ulreich; Rafinha, Boateng, Sule, Alaba; Rodriguez, Martinez, Vidal; Robben, Muller, Ribery.
The teams headed into half-time with Bayern Munich in the one-goal lead, producing 11 attempts - only four of which getting on target - to Leverkusen's just four as they hardly came close.
Bayer Leverkusen's second-best top scorer Leon Bailey could have scored an equaliser almost 10 minutes into the second half only for his curling effort to lick the bar and go behind, before Franck Ribery found a way through the Leverkusen defence to make 2-0 for the visitors.
Precisely on the 70-minute mark, Bayer 04 responded well to pull one back through leading goalscorer Kevin Volland, who had slalomed his way forward past a few defenders and unleashed a shot that took a nick off one of the centre-backs and bounced into the left-hand side of the goal.
An absolutely phenomenal injury-time free-kick strike executed by James Rodriguez regained a two-goal lead for the visitors with three minutes to go and looked like confidently bucking the trend of Bayern slipping up away at the BayArena.
It would end up 3-1 for another Bayern victory allowing Jupp Heynckes' to bring their league run to five wins, placing them 14 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table, while Leverkusen are still in contention for next season's Champions League football - in fourth with 28 points after the defeat.
When and where did the match take place?
Fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen gave a reception to runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, who had beaten them 3-1 earlier this season in the opening round, in an attempt to extend their largely successful home run against the league's current five-time champions.How the teams lined up:
Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-3): Leno; Tah, Bender, Wendell; Havertz, Bender, Kohr, Bailey; Bellarabi, Volland, Brandt.Bayern Munich (4-3-3): Ulreich; Rafinha, Boateng, Sule, Alaba; Rodriguez, Martinez, Vidal; Robben, Muller, Ribery.
How it unfolded:
At the beginning of proceedings it looked more of an evenly matched game until the 33rd minute, when Javi Martinez fired the visited ahead following the rebound of an Arturo Vidal header.The teams headed into half-time with Bayern Munich in the one-goal lead, producing 11 attempts - only four of which getting on target - to Leverkusen's just four as they hardly came close.
Bayer Leverkusen's second-best top scorer Leon Bailey could have scored an equaliser almost 10 minutes into the second half only for his curling effort to lick the bar and go behind, before Franck Ribery found a way through the Leverkusen defence to make 2-0 for the visitors.
Precisely on the 70-minute mark, Bayer 04 responded well to pull one back through leading goalscorer Kevin Volland, who had slalomed his way forward past a few defenders and unleashed a shot that took a nick off one of the centre-backs and bounced into the left-hand side of the goal.
An absolutely phenomenal injury-time free-kick strike executed by James Rodriguez regained a two-goal lead for the visitors with three minutes to go and looked like confidently bucking the trend of Bayern slipping up away at the BayArena.
It would end up 3-1 for another Bayern victory allowing Jupp Heynckes' to bring their league run to five wins, placing them 14 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table, while Leverkusen are still in contention for next season's Champions League football - in fourth with 28 points after the defeat.
