In an increasingly frustrating season for FC Bayern, Harry Kane was the man on the spot again in a last gasp win over Red Bull Leipzig which kept the Bavarians title hopes just about alive.
The England man bagged a stoppage time winner to haul the Bavarians to within eight points of Bundesliga league leaders Bayer Leverkusen who had beaten Mainz on Friday night. It was another brace for Kane who has now scored 27 league goals for Bayern and another four in cup competitions since his summer transfer from Tottenham Hotspur. But it might be all in vain unless the Bavarians can either chase down Die Werkself or win the Champions League, but the SBOTOP odds say that is pretty unlikely after they lost to Lazio in their Round of 16 first leg tie.
Bayern took the lead when Kane converted after good work from Jamal Musiala but then Benjamin Sesko’s deflected equaliser threatened to extend Bayern’s winless run, until Kane finished brilliantly from a cut back by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to snatch all three points.
The Bavarian giants announced last week that head coach Thomas Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season and the latest Bundesliga 2024 betting odds suggest he might well have the legacy of being the man in charge when Bayern were toppled.
But Harry, I seriously doubt Die Bayern will become the Bundesliga equivalent of Spurs!
Alonso’s record breakers
Despite Kane’s heroics it looks like Bayern Munich’s 11 year domination of the Bundesliga could well be coming to an end because Bayer Leverkusen show no sign of slowing down. Xabi Alonso’s team has just set a new record of 33 matches unbeaten after they overcame Mainz in a 2-1 victory on Friday night. That result put more pressure on Bayern and, had Kane not scored his injury time winner the gap would have been double figures…and maybe that would have been the point of no return.
If Die Werkself carry on their magnificent run of form then it is surely a matter of time; with just 11 games left to play they can tick them off, one by one. It was a first goal for defensive midfielder Granit Xhaka which gave the league leaders an early advantage as the former Arsenal man hit a stunning left footed effort with just three minutes on the clock. Dominik Kohr levelled for Mainz but Robert Andrich scored the winner from distance with a little help from Mainz keeper Robin Zentner who fumbled the ball over the line.
Stuttgart stutter
VfB Stuttgart stay in third but have slipped a little off the pace after they were frustrated by relegation threatened Koln, and they have now fallen six points behind FC Bayern. Top scorer Serhou Guirassy is back in the fold after his return from the African Cup of Nations but he was without his injured strike partner Denis Undav who has scored five goals in the last four league games, and VfB struggled to break down battling Koln.
Enzo Millot gave Seb Hoeness’ team a lead, early in the second half but slack defending allowed Koln midfielder Eric Martel to sneak in at the far post and poke in the equaliser unmarked. This has been a brilliant campaign for Stuttgart after they struggled to stay in the top flight last term, but they are now looking over their shoulders with Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Leipzig coming into view.
Foals find their form
Borussia Monchengladbach earned a first win in six games and in some style as they hammered Bochum 5-2 to climb up to 11th in the table. It was one of the most eye-catching Bundesliga 2024 results of the weekend and a pleasing one for head coach Gerardo Seoane who has watched his team labour since the turn of the year.
Over 53,000 fans packed into the Borussia Park to see Die Fohlen tear Bochum apart as French striker Nathan Ngoumou headed in the opener from a corner. Julian Weigl made it 2-0 from the penalty spot and that was the score at half time after Florian Neuhaus saw his effort ruled out by VAR. Ngoumu was in the action again when he crossed for Rocco Reitz who headed Borussia into a 3-0 lead with less than 20 minutes to go… but there was plenty more goal action to come.
Philipp Hofmann pulled a goal back for Bochum who, last week, had beaten Bayern Munich, but then Jordan Siebatchu’s header restored the hosts’ three goal lead. Keven Schlotterbeck made it 4-2 with a header for Bochum and the day’s goalmouth entertainment was rounded off when Frank Honorat hammered a shot into the top right corner, deep into injury time.
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