Bayern Munich secured a dramatic victory away at SC Freiburg on Saturday afternoon. Vincent Kompany’s side fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 deep into injury time. Two goals from Tom Bischof and one from Lennart Karl secured the three points for Bayern.
Bayern started the match in a weakened state, as Harry Kane was absent through injury, whilst his usual replacement, Nicolas Jackson, was suspended. This gave Serge Gnabry the chance to start up front.
Although Bayern had the lion’s share of possession in the first half, it was Freiburg who created the best chances. Lucas Höler and Niklas Beste looked threatening on several occasions, but goalkeeper Manuel Neuer kept his side in the game with some fine saves. At the other end, Bayern only really created chances just before half-time, to no avail.
So both teams went into the break with the score at 0-0, although that felt like a stroke of luck for the visitors. Freiburg played with great energy and courage and kept Bayern under constant pressure. Kompany’s side struggled to break through the compact defence.
Freiburg struck immediately after the break. Johan Manzambi received the ball following an early win and unleashed a devastating strike from distance: 1-0. Neuer had no chance against the shot, which flew straight into the corner.
Freiburg remained the more dangerous side and came close to a second goal through Höler. Bayern tried to turn the tide with several substitutions, including the introduction of Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise. Olise also had a great chance, but shot wide from close range.
Midway through the second half, the score became 2-0. From a corner by Beste, the ball came via Neuer to Höler, who scored from close range, with a slight deflection off Kim.
In the closing stages, everything changed. Bayern first pulled one back to make it 2-1 through a long-range strike from Tom Bischof, and then saw that same midfielder score the equaliser in stoppage time following a short corner.
Deep into injury time, Bayern even struck again to secure the win: Alphonso Davies was played through on the byline and crossed low, whereupon top talent Lennart Karl tapped in from close range to make it 3-2.
That goal came in the 90th minute plus nine seconds, whilst referee Daniel Siebert had initially added at least eight minutes of added time. Freiburg were furious and protested en masse to the referee, but their appeals fell on deaf ears: thanks to the three points, Bayern remain unassailable at the top of the Bundesliga.