SReferee Deniz Aytekin drew the first yellow card after just 80 seconds had played. Marcel Sabitzer was cautioned after a foul on Donyell Malen.
A scene that should define the degree of intensity of the top game between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern for the full distance. It was a balanced duel in all relevant disciplines, which also found its fair result at the end, at the very end, of these memorable 94 minutes. “The 2-2 is okay,” said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann: “It hurts a little, but it’s not undeserved.”
The current leaders Union Berlin, who have to play in Stuttgart, or SC Freiburg with a win at Hertha could beat both Bayern and BVB by four points on Sunday.
After goals from Leon Goretzka (33rd) and Leroy Sané (53rd), both prepared by Jamal Musiala, the record champions led 2-0, it was 2-2 (0-1) at the end. Youssoufa Moukoko scored the goal for the hosts (75′), Anthony Modeste scored in the fourth minute of added time to make it 2-2. modeste. Of all things.
The game had provided numerous stories. But hardly anyone talked about Musiala’s two goals, about Moukoko’s push against Manuel Neuer after the 1: 2. And the fact that Alphonso Davies had to be taken to the hospital after being hit in the head during the game was briefly forgotten after the rapid final phase. Even Joker Modeste’s missed big chance, who hadn’t gotten the ball past Neuer from a meter away, was suddenly irrelevant. Modeste, the much scolded man, made amends for his faux pas at the last second and turned the stadium into a madhouse.
“I’m particularly happy for Tony, who I’ve known for a long time. It wasn’t easy for him here,” said Niklas Süle about Modeste, who appeared with his two children for the interview: “I could have made it 2-2 earlier, but during the week I complained that we rarely crossed. Then the cross comes and I don’t do it… It’s a good thing I made it. family is there It’s a good day for me.”
The 2: 2 in mind: Anthony Modeste fails at Manuel Neuer
Which: REUTERS
In addition to the two points lost, Bayern also had to complain about a few injuries. In addition to Davies, who was hospitalized with a suspected concussion, Matthijs de Ligt (hamstring) also had to be substituted off.
Davies was hit in the head with his foot by Dortmund’s Jew Bellingham. The Englishman, who had received a warning, was lucky that referee Deniz Aytekin judged the action to be unintentional. But the Munich Kingsley Coman saw the yellow-red card in the final minute for repeated foul play (90th).
As expected, Mats Hummels was fit after his cold and was also in Dortmund’s starting XI, but none of the national defenders Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle had to give way for him. “We decided to let all three play. You’ll see what that looks like,” said coach Edin Terzic on Sky when asked if he would play with a chain of three. So the answer only came at kick-off: BVB played with a back four, Süle, who came from Munich in the summer, played right-back. At Bayern, where sports director Hasan Salihamidzic did not travel because of a flu infection, Joshua Kimmich made it into the squad after surviving the corona infection, but not into the starting XI. Then he came to the break. It was already clear beforehand that Thomas Müller would be absent after his corona infection. Just like with BVB captain Marco Reus, who also has a cold in addition to his ligament injury.
Three yellow cards after 13 minutes
Referee Aytekin, who comes from the state of Bavaria, but more precisely from Franconia, and who has also refereed a few Bayern games before, tried to nip in the bud all the typical niggles of this duel. Contrary to his otherwise rather generous and communicative manner, he had already issued three warnings after 13 minutes.
But that’s not the only reason why the game got off to a bad start in front of 81,365 spectators. Both teams seemed nervous, or at least tense. The game was intense, but both didn’t take too many risks and often played too imprecisely at the crucial moment. The first corner kick came after 17 minutes for Bayern, the first shot on goal four minutes later by Dortmund’s Donyell Malen, it was only one for the statistics. Raphael Guerreiro had the first chance for BVB, whose diagonal shot from 18 meters out was saved by Manuel Neuer (30′). Then the people of Munich had their first one – and used it cold. Malen and Salih Özcan attacked Goretzka too timidly and hit the target with a well-placed low shot from 18 meters.
At the break, Terzic ended the experiment with the three regular central defenders. Hummels left the field, Marius Wolf was at least a practiced right-back who also had BVB’s best chance up to that point (47′). Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann made three changes at halftime, taking out the hapless striker Serge Gnabry and ordering Sadio Mané to the front. The Senegalese also had a huge chance, but headed wide of the empty goal from eight yards out (49′). Two minutes later, the strong Sané made it 0:2. This clarified the balance of power.
But BVB didn’t give up. Terzic brought forward Anthony Modeste, which paid off. The ex-Cologne player played the ball to Moukoko just five minutes after being brought in, who gave Neuer no chance with a well-placed shot. And shortly afterwards Modeste had a huge chance to equalize when he didn’t hit the ball properly from close range (83′). But he did it better in the very last action with his head.
“We know the whole world is watching this game. We want to show everyone, but mostly ourselves,” Terzic appealed to morale before the game. His team proved that.
