File photo of Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayern Munich in a Bundesliga match
Borussia Monchengladbach beat Bayern Munich 2-1 as the Bundesliga resumes despite a coronavirus-induced absence.
The first game after the league’s winter break was in doubt as a host of transitions were particularly hard hit with Bayern at both clubs.
League officials decided the club had enough strength to play on Friday.
Robert Lewandowski got Bayern off to a good start with his 20th league goal, but Gladbach responded with two goals in four minutes through Florian Neuhaus and Stefan Lanner and stayed on for the win.
Gladbach also won their last meeting – 5–0 in the German Cup in October.
The Bavarian powerhouse was without nine players due to the transition – Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez, Kingsley Koman, Alfonso Davies, Leroy Sane, Dayot Upamecano, Corentin Tolisso, Omar Richards and Tangui Nianzo – while Dwarf Sir and Eric-Maxim Chopo-Moting are away. . In the African Cup.
Leon Goretzka and Josip Stanisic were ruled out with injuries.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann reacted by calling six players from the club’s second team and two 16-year-olds in Arizon Ibrahimovic and Paul Vanner.
The latter became Bayern’s youngest ever player in the Bundesliga at 16 years, 15 days in the 75th minute.
Jamal Musiyala was the club’s previous youngest Bundesliga player at 17 years, 115 days.
Forward Malik Tillman made his first league debut, while Joshua Kimmich returned after a two-month absence due to complications from his infection.
Bayern showed no sign of missing any players as it started on purpose amid snowfall.
Lewandowski was involved from the start and he duly scored with a fine strike inside the near post in the 18th minute.
But the visitors equalized with their first attempt in the 27th, Neuhaus attempting a clearance with a dropkick near Sven Ulrich in the Bayern goal in meeting Kimmich.
Lanner took Gladbach’s second four minutes later with a header from Luka Netz in the corner.
Briel Embolo missed a decent chance to make it 3-1, and Lewandowski hit the post from a narrow angle after going past a defender at the other end.
Mathias Ginter clears up Thomas Müller’s attempt for a rebound.
Sommer denied Musiala after the break, when the home team again made a better impression.
Muller and Kimmich were about to move closer, and Lewandowski hit the crossbar.
It was as close as Bayern was to second.
– AP. with inputs from
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