Dhe top game kept what it promised. Table leaders FC Bayern did not get more than 1: 1 (1: 1) at pursuers 1899 Hoffenheim, but provided the best entertainment.
Bayern arrived at Red Bull Salzburg in the middle of the week with the reference of 7:1 in the Champions League. Coach Nagelsmann also fielded the same team against Hoffenheim. They, in turn, looked back on four wins in a row before the duel with the Munich team.
A lively exchange of blows developed. Hoffenheim coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who had previously achieved some prestige successes such as the exhilarating 4-1 win against the German industry leader on his home debut as TSG coach in September 2020, outlined the route again shortly before kick-off. The 39-year-old nephew of Bayern legend Uli Hoeneß said that “Bayern keep the ball on their feet, not without it,” he said. His team succeeded – in the 32nd minute even extremely successfully: Christoph Baumgartner completed a counterattack to make it 1-0.
At Bayern, the focus was primarily on Thomas Müller. Once he failed at Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper Oliver Baumann (15th), two goals were disallowed for offside (27th / 42nd). But then Robert Lewandowski equalized with his header (45′). It was his 17th away goal, breaking the Bundesliga record (Jupp Heynckes 1973/74 and Timo Werner 2019/20).
In the second period, Bayern then increasingly gained supremacy. The only thing missing was the exploitation of chances. That’s why it stayed at 1:1. Hard fought by Hoffenheim, but the bottom line is not undeserved. That’s why only a small anniversary could be celebrated at Bayern. 19-year-old Jamal Musiala was the youngest footballer in the history of Munich to play 50 Bundesliga games.
SC Freiburg – VfL Wolfsburg 3: 2 (2: 0)
Thanks to a strong Vincenzo Grifo and winning goal scorer Nico Schlotterbeck, SC Freiburg can hope more and more for the Champions League qualification. National defender Schlotterbeck scored the late goal to make it 3-2 (2-0) against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday and ensured success in the turbulent final phase (87th minute). After Max Kruse connected against his ex-club (52nd), Maximilian Arnold had only recently equalized for Lower Saxony, who had only improved in the second half (84th).
At the beginning Grifo put the Breisgauer in the lead in the first game after coach Christian Streich renewed his contract with his first brace in the Bundesliga. In front of 25,000 spectators, the offensive player scored with a direct free kick (7th minute) and followed up with a direct acceptance (44th).
Freiburg, weakened by the corona-related failures of regular players Philipp Lienhart and Maximilian Eggestein, initially moved up to fourth place. The Wolfsburg coach Florian Kohfeldt, recently on the upswing, missed moving even further away from the relegation zone from midfield.
Wolfsburg had to do without goalkeeper Koen Casteels for a short time due to hip problems. The Austrian Pavao Pervan was used and was powerless early on. Specialist Grifo circled the free kick at Freiburg’s first chance from a good 20 meters into the top right corner. The midfielder himself had previously been brought down by Maximilian Arnold and underscored that set pieces are one of Baden’s strengths: This was the 20th time this season a goal was scored from a dead ball, no other Bundesliga club is as successful.
The Badeners also proved that they can also be dangerous from the game: A little later, the hosts could have been clearly ahead, but Ermedin Demirovic only hit the post (10th). The hosts continued to play energetically and, unlike Lower Saxony, had chances. Lucas Höler slipped a cross over his head (33′), then the offensive player tested Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper Pervan from a distance (34′). When captain Christian Günter fired from an acute angle after a pass from Grifo, some Freiburg fans jumped up, but the ball swept past the goal on the right and Demirovic came a bit too late (40′).
All highlights, all goals – the Bundesliga at WELT
A football game lasts 90 minutes – and you can see all the highlights from it with us, right after the final whistle. We show you all the highlights of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.
It was Grifo who made Streich cheer again: After a cross from Höfler, the 28-year-old volleyed the ball into the goal. A well-deserved break against far too harmless guests was perfect. In the first half, Wolfsburg didn’t even have a shot on goal.
The Freiburg defensive with the brothers Nico and Keven Schlotterbeck was only challenged more in the second half. Keven Schlotterbeck was in the starting XI because of Lienhart’s absence. Like Eggestein, Woo-yeong Jeong and Hugo Siquet, the central defender had tested positive for the corona virus, as the sports club announced before kick-off. National player Nico Schlottbeck was able to play despite his knee problems.
After the change of sides, Wolfsburg became more lively. The ball came to Kruse via Xaver Schlager and Arnold, who was suddenly free in front of SC goalkeeper Mark Flekken and didn’t miss the opportunity. The guests were better now. Substitute Wolfsburg international Lukas Nmecha missed (67th). And the hosts fought passionately, Demirovic failed after a pass by Grifo to goalkeeper Pervan (60th). In the end it got turbulent: After Arnold equalized, Nico Schlotterbeck created a party mood.
Union Berlin – VfB Stuttgart 1: 1 (1: 0)
Sasa Kalajdzic gave VfB Stuttgart further hope in the Bundesliga relegation battle with a last-minute goal. The Austrian helped the Swabians to an important and flattering point win with his goal in the 90th minute to make it 1-1 (0-1) at 1. FC Union Berlin. Taiwo Awoniyi (41st minute) put the superior “Iron” in the lead with a penalty kick. But it wasn’t enough to win the 150th game under coach Urs Fischer in front of 16,509 spectators.
With the draw, VfB was able to put further pressure on the rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach and Hertha BSC before their evening summit in the relegation battle and left 17th place at least for the time being. Union thus also missed the symbolic mark of 40 points as the minimum target set by Fischer. The Berliners have 38 points to their credit.
Stuttgart definitely didn’t want to fall into the Union trap. Solid room security was the first commandment. Just no caprioles, with or without possession of the ball, coach Pellegrino Matarazzo had obviously prescribed his team in order not to get the dreaded switching game of the Irons rolling in the first place. So Union needed a lot of patience to play off his obvious superiority.
Rani Khedira (3rd minute) tried a long-range shot early on. It took half a half until Niko Gießelmann’s attempt from a tight angle (27th). Florian Müller stretched his arm to defend. Otherwise, the VfB goalkeeper mainly had a veritable time game on goal kicks on his to-do list. Referee Robert Hartmann, busy with many mutual nods, warned Müller early on.
When Konstatinos Mavropanos handball, Hartmann correctly pointed to the point. Awoniyi was happily sung by the fans as he approached the penalty kick. With 16 Bundesliga goals, he is level with Max Kruse as a Union record man, which is also a kind of coming to terms with the past in search of the briefly lost self-image without the glamor boy Kruse who had migrated to Wolfsburg.
Despite being behind, Stuttgart measured their attacking efforts very carefully. Frederik Rönnow as a replacement for the corona-infected Andreas Luthe in the Union goal could only demonstrate his skills with back passes from teammates – the Swabians acted so poorly. But Union didn’t do much either and were then punished by Kalajdzic’s late goal.
