Bundesliga – Joshua Kimmich saves Bayern Munich from defeat against Cologne

Bayern got very hot. Led for almost the entire meeting, the Munich club snatched the draw against Cologne (1-1) on Tuesday evening. Three weeks before facing PSG in the knockout stages of the Champions League, the Bavarians avoided a second setback this season on a superb strike from Joshua Kimmich, unstoppable for Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, yet perfect for 90 minutes.

At the start of 2023, Bayern are treading water, since for the resumption of the Bundesliga, they had already settled for a draw, after leading in score in Leipzig. With 36 points, Bayern retains the lead in the championship, but (1-6) Schlake’s wide victory for Leipzig allows the Red Bulls to recover perfectly in the wake of the ten-time reigning German champions, four points (32) .

Bayern struggled

Tuesday evening, in a refrigerated Allianz Arena, Bayern were led from the 4th minute. On a corner taken by Florian Kainz, the French vice-world champion Dayot Upamecano was overtaken by Julian Chabot, and Ellyes Skhiri at the far post was able to open the scoring for Cologne.

Yann Sommer, who was playing his second match with Bayern, could not do anything about the Tunisian international’s attempt. The Munich people had several chances in the first half to equalize, but either Cologne goalkeeper and captain Marvin Schwäbe was able to fend off attempts by Serge Gnabry (14th) or Benjamin Pavard (44th) or the Munich crosses did not find takers.

Kimmich’s Firecracker

And Julian Nagelsmann’s men avoided correctional at the half-hour mark, on a counter-attack led by Linton Maina, but Kainz’s cross for Skhiri was narrowly repelled by Yann Sommer. The entries of Kingsley Coman and Ryan Gravenberch, for Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka, on returning from the locker room provided more offensive solutions. The Munich people continued to create chances, but always fell on Schwäbe.

It was finally thanks to Kimmich’s inspiration in the 90th minute that the 75,000 Munich supporters of the Allianz Arena were able to explode with joy, while Nagelsmann tried everything for everything with three attackers – Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Thomas Müller and Mathys Tel – in the last ten minutes.

Bayern still have three league matches (Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Bochum) and one in the Cup (round of 16 against Mainz) to sign a first victory in 2023, before challenging PSG in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League on February 14th.

Strong comeback from Wolfsburg

On Wednesday evening, Randal Kolo Muani’s Eintracht Frankfurt, Freiburg and Union Berlin have the opportunity to come back to within three points of the Bavarians. Union Berlin moves to Bremen while Frankfurt receives Freiburg. Eintracht are heading into a crucial week as they travel to Munich for the Bundesliga clash.

Also note the incredible rise in the standings of Wolfsburg, which signed its sixth consecutive victory in the Bundesliga on Tuesday evening on the lawn of Hertha Berlin (0-5), to climb to sixth place with 29 points. Penultimate after the 7th day in mid-September, Niko Kovac’s men have since been undefeated.