On March 1st, in the city of Freiburg, Germany, Lucas Hoeler of Freiburg Football Club netted an 87th-minute goal, securing a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich, visitors to the Schwarzwald-Stadion. This result dealt a setback to Bayern Munich’s aspirations for the Bundesliga title. The reigning champions Bayern Munich, currently positioned with 54 points from 24 league fixtures, now trail behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen by seven points. Bayer Leverkusen, with 61 points, could extend their lead with a victory against Cologne scheduled for Sunday.
In preparation for their upcoming Champions League last 16 second leg against Italy’s Lazio, Bayern Munich endured a challenging start to their record 2,000th Bundesliga encounter. Freiburg exploited opportunities to mount offensive plays, creating difficulties for the Bavarians from the onset. The notable performance of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer proved pivotal in maintaining Bayern Munich’s competitiveness, as he made a series of remarkable saves during the early stages of the first half.
In the encounter between Freiburg and Bayern, the former capitalized on their opportunities, exploiting the vulnerabilities of the latter, who are facing internal upheaval as they prepare to part ways with their manager, Tuchel, at the culmination of the season. This strategic acumen saw Freiburg securing an early lead in the 12th minute.
The momentum of the match swayed as Neuer, Bayern’s goalkeeper, initially thwarted a header from Roland Sallai with a remarkable save, only to witness the subsequent rebound effort, a bicycle kick from the Hungarian, ricochet off the post, eventually leading to Christian Guenter’s decisive strike.
Despite Freiburg’s dominance in the first half-hour, Bayern seized an opportunity against the run of play with Mathys Tel’s unstoppable long-range shot finding the back of the net in the 35th minute.
The second half saw Bayern rejuvenated, creating scoring opportunities through Jamal Musiala and Harry Kane, culminating in Musiala’s individual brilliance as he embarked on a solo run down the left flank, infiltrated the box, and expertly curled a low shot past the Freiburg goalkeeper, completing their resurgence.
However, Freiburg demonstrated resilience, with Hoeler delivering a late equalizer in the 87th minute, showcasing his prowess with a fine turn and shot within the box. The result leaves Bayern with just one victory from their previous four league fixtures.