Bayer Leverkusen put in a more impressive display than their previous showing against Bayern Munich as they held the league leaders to an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.
In a game filled with chances for both sides, the visitors might well have walked away from the lions’ den with all three points had they taken one of their guilt-edged, golden opportunities as Gerardo Seonane’s side grew in confidence.
However, it will be two points dropped for Bayern as well, as it was their own shaky defensive display that cost Sven Ulreich his clean sheet: Thomas Muller’s bizarre own goal cancelled out Niklas Sule’s opener with nine minues of the first half to go.
The opening goal of the game came from a melee: a Joshua Kimmich corner wasn’t dealt with by Lukas Hradecky nor Jonathan Tah, and the ball ricocheted nicely for the departing Sule, who will play for Borussia Dortmund next season when his contract expires.
A Kerem Demirbay delivery was enough to outfox Ulreich and Muller, whose miscommunication meant that the veteran attacking midfielder slid in under no pressure to divert the cross beyond his own goalkeeper and give the visitors an equaliser against the run of play.
That was the switch that brought their young, electric front three to life, as Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli and Moussa Diaby looked revitalised, creating glorious opportunities that had their foundations built off Bayern mistakes.
Dayot Upamecano’s loose backpass was intercepted by Adli who struck the post after rounding the onrushing Ulreich, and he spurned another chance as he raced through on goal, passing wide of the far post with mere seconds of the first half to go.
Wirtz had a chance at the near post on 56 minutes as Adli beat Sule in the physical battle, but the 18-year old poked into the side netting as Bayern’s defence looked vulnerable yet again, not helped by the gaps in their midfield and the ultra-attacking mentality of Julian Nagelsmann.
A point is more a respectable result for the visitors, and it halts Bayern’s momentum in the title race for the moment.
TALKING POINT – RAPID FIRE ATTACK, SHAKY AT THE BACK
It’s all well and good to dominate the ball and play wingers as wing-backs when you’re certain you’ll win, but Bayern struggled to break down their stubborn opponents who showed their quality here.
The back three of Edmond Tapsoba, Tah and Piero Hincapie held firm to grind out a point for the visitors as Bayern’s defensive vulnerabilities cost them yet again.
Too much space was left in midfield with lightweight Kimmich at times the only body in red in the engine room against the combative duo of Demirbay and Charles Aranguiz, who were supported in there by Wirtz, Diaby and Adli to add numerical superiority.
Upamecano was at fault for Adli’s chance that bounced back off the woodwork, and Nagelsmann must work on his side’s soldiity at the back when it comes to more important matches, especially in the latter rounds of the Champions League.
PLAYER RATINGS
Bayern: Ulreich 7, Pavard 6, Upamecano 5, Sule 6, Richards 6, Kimmich 6, Musiala 6, Coman 6, Muller 5, Gnabry 6, Lewandowski 6, Sabitzer 6, Sane 6, C-Moting 6, Sarr 6.
Leverkusen: Hradecky 7, Tah 7, Tapsoba 7, Hincapie 6, Frimpong 7, Aranguiz 6, Demirbay 6, Bakker 6, Diaby 5, Wirtz 7, Adli 7, Palacios 6, Kossounou 6, Azmoun 6, Alario 6.
MAN OF THE MATCH – JEREMIE FRIMPONG, LEVERKUSEN
Always a threat down the right.
He had Gnabry covered for the most part, and was helped by the classy presence of Tapsoba and Tah behind him.
But more importantly, it was his thrust and guile on the overlap and maintaining the width that allowed Leverkusen to regain a foothold in a game that they were being dominated in for large periods, but the former Celtic wing-back’s persistence in the press and in the transitional phases played a pivotal role in their unlikely point.
KEY MOMENTS
18′: GOALLLL!!!! Niklas Sule!!! A melee ensues after the visitors can’t clear their lines, and Bayern are buoyant as Hradecky misjudges the flight iof the ball, and Tah mishits the acrobatic clearance, and it falls for the big defender Sule, and he strikes to put the hosts ahead.
38′: GOALLLL!!! It’s an own goal, and Leverkusen have the equaliser, off Thomas Muller of all people! Demirbay’s free kick, and he diverts it beyond his own goalkeeper under no pressure at all! 1-1!
42′: OFF THE POST! What on earth happened there! Another dreadful mistake at the back from the hosts as a loose Upamecano backpass is seized upon by Adli, and he rounds Ulreich but strikes the foot of the post from the tight angle! What a chance!
43′: AND ANOTHER! HUGE chance again for Adli as he races through on goal again, but he passes it wide of the far post with Ureich at his mercy!
45′: WHAT A SAVE! Ulreich saves the hosts after a brilliant one-two between Adli and Frimpong, and Ulreich saves from point-blank range after the pull-back!
