Elferglück follows domination: Hallelujah, FC Bayern trembles towards victory

Elferglück follows dominance
Hallelujah, FC Bayern trembles towards victory

FC Bayern ended the first half of the Bundesliga as it should be for an autumn champion: with a win. However, the twelfth success of the season against FC Augsburg turns out to be a tremendous game from the middle of the second half. A match winner for Munich: the post.

Bayern Munich consolidated its top position in the Bundesliga at the end of the first half thanks to world footballer Robert Lewandowski and the proverbial "Dusel". The star striker led the German record champions in the Bavarian-Swabian derby at FC Augsburg with his 22nd (!) Goal of the season to a 1-0 (1-0) triumph. After Lewandowski's hit (13th, penalty kick), Joker Alfred Finnbogason gave FCA a great chance to equalize with a hand penalty to aluminum (76th). For the first time in the league since the fifth matchday (5: 0 against Frankfurt), Bayern returned to zero.

Manuel Neuer then set Oliver Kahn's record of games without conceding a goal even after almost three months of waiting. The national goalkeeper was able to look forward to his 196th clean sheet game in Germany's elite league. Only stakes over 90 minutes are rated. In the eleven previous games, the 2014 world champion had to concede at least one goal.

FC Augsburg – Bayern Munich 0: 1 (0: 1)

Goal: 0: 1 Lewandowski (13th, foul penalty)
Augsburg:
Gikiewicz – Oxford, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai – Caligiuri, Khedira (46th Strobl), Gruezo, Iago – Hahn (72nd Niederlechner), Richter (72nd Finnbogason), Vargas (72nd Jensen); Trainer: Splendid.
Munich: Neuer – Pavard, Jerome Boateng, Alaba, Hernandez – Kimmich, Goretzka – Gnabry (66th Leroy Sane), Thomas Müller (89th Martinez), Coman (80th Musiala) – Lewandowski (67th Tolisso); Trainer: Flick.
Referee: Dr. Matthias Jöllenbeck (Freiburg) Spectators: none
Yellow cards: Khedira (4), Uduokhai (3)
Special incident: Finnbogason shoots hand penalty against the post (76.)

"Lewa" continues in the footsteps of "Bomber" Gerd Müller. The Bayern legend was only 17 times successful at "half-time" in the 1971/72 season, at the end of which he had scored 40 goals. Unusual: "Lewa" was replaced (67th), then briefly discussed it with a Bayern physio and pointed to his face.

Flick's happy hand

"We want to improve now," emphasized Bayern coach Hansi Flick before kick-off. He tackled this project with almost the same team that had defeated Freiburg (2-1) – only Lucas Hernández joined the team for Alphonso Davies. Flick proved that he had a lucky hand: The left-back was always on the offensive and after a clumsy foul by Rani Khedira took the penalty to lead. Lewandowski turned safely as usual after the usual intermediate jump.

Against Bayern, said FCA coach Heiko Herrlich at Sky, a team could "show what you are worth". The effort could not be denied to his team, but play remained too much piecemeal. Herrlich's plan to stop the dangerous Munich outside with a 3-4-3 also only worked to a limited extent. The Bayern defense around the prudent defense chief David Alaba was not properly challenged for a long time. The decision to deny the loudly protesting FCA a penalty after a handball by Hernandez (26th) was justifiable; the Frenchman had slipped away.

On the other hand, Bayern failed to use the multitude of their chances for further goals. Lewandowski hit the outside post (42nd), at break the statistics counted 0:12 shots on goal. With the substitution of Tobias Strobl, Herrlich stabilized his defensive network after the break. Suddenly Bayern found it difficult, played less determined and focused. Leroy Sane came for Lewandowski, Müller moved into the center of the storm. But the guests did not look for the preliminary decision with all vehemence and let the suddenly courageous Augsburgers hope for a lucky strike. Finnbogason awarded it after Benjamin Pavard's handball. "I have to do that, there is no excuse. It's very, very bitter," he said afterwards. Shortly thereafter, Fredrik Jensen also left a top chance, his shot rushed just over the top left corner.

. (tagsToTranslate) Fußball (t) FC Bayern Munich (t) Fußball-Bundesliga (t) Fußball (t) Hansi Flick (t) Robert Lewandowski