Sommer heroics see Gladbach hold on for draw at Bayern

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Moenchengladbach maintained their strong recent record against Bayern Munich with an outstanding performance from ‘keeper Yann Sommer securing a 1-1 away draw on Saturday. 

Gladbach have performed better than any other Bundesliga club against Munich in recent seasons, with two wins and a draw in the 2021-22 season. 

Bayern began the match in the same manner they started the season, dominating possession and pinning Gladbach in their own penalty area. 

Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane had the ball in the net twice in two minutes in the first half, but had both efforts pulled back for offside. 

With Bayern launching wave after wave of relentless pressure on Gladbach, a goal seemed a mere formality, but it was the visitors who took the lead when French striker Marcus Thuram took advantage of a poor error from countryman Dayot Upamecano to put his side up 1-0 in the shadows of halftime. 

Bayern continued to dominate and almost equalised in the 61st minute through Mane, but Sommer somehow stopped the Sengalese twice in quick succession from close range. 

Sommer again saved his side in the  65th minute, somehow preventing Bayern winger Leroy Sane from scoring when one-on-one with the former Man City man.

As the game wore on, frustration began to creep into the home side’s game, with Joshua Kimmich, Marcel Sabitzer, Sane and manager Julian Nagelsmann all picking up avoidable second-half yellow cards. 

Musiala, brought on by Nagelsmann with 67 minutes gone, set up the equaliser in the 82nd minute, sliding a pass through for Sane to curl the ball past Sommer into the bottom left of the net. 

Bayern went close several times in the closing stages, but Sommer was equal to the task to ensure his side remain unbeaten so far this season.

Alongside Bayern in top spot sit Union Berlin, who won 6-1 away at Schalke earlier on Saturday. 

Union, who welcome Bayern to the German capital on Saturday, won through braces from Sheraldo Becker and Sven Michel, along with strikes from Morten Thorsby and Janik Haberer.

The Berlin club, who will begin their first ever Europa League campaign in September, are unbeaten (four wins and a draw) after five competitive games in 2022-23.  

Berlin coach Urs Fischer did not want his team to get carried away with the “lucky” win. 

“Our 3-1 half-time lead was lucky. Sc halke were better, more aggressive and more agile than us,” the Swiss manager told Germany’s SID. 

“What was good was that we were more efficient.”

– Modeste scores for Dortmund –

French striker Anthony Modeste thanked Dortmund manager Edin Terzic after his first-half goal gave his side a narrow 1-0 win away at Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

Modeste headed in a cross from Salih Ozcan, who also arrived from Cologne this summer, in the 32nd minute to put Dortmund 1-0 up. 

Modeste, who is known for his theatrical celebrations which often involve dancing and even props, ran emotionally to Terzic and embraced him after scoring.

“I’m so glad to score my first goal. It took its time, but it was really important.”

“I’ve copped so much (since arriving at Dortmund), but the manager was always there for me.”

Elsewhere, RB Leipzig gained their first Bundestags win of the season with a 2-0 home victory over Wolfsburg. 

Leipzig’s French forward Christopher Nkunku converted a penalty after five minutes to open the scoring.

Former Chelsea striker Timo Werner, who started from the bench after an infection, set up Nkunku’s second in the 90th minute to relieve some pressure from Leipzig coach Domenico Tedesco. 

Bayer Leverkusen picked up their first points of the season with a 3-0 win away at Mainz. 

Leverkusen, who had scored just one goal in three Bundesliga games and had already been eliminated from the German Cup, scored three first-half goals, including a brace for Dutch wing back Jeremie Frimpong. 

Hoffenheim won their third game of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Augsburg, thanks to a first-half goal from Dennis Geiger.