MUNICH: Bayern Munich went back to the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday, defeating Borussia Dortmund 4-2 at home to give Thomas Tuchel a winning start as coach of the Bavarian giants.

A shocking own goal from Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, as well as two trademark poacher’s finishes from Thomas Mueller had Bayern 3-0 up by the 25th minute.

Kingsley Coman added a fourth shortly after half-time to send Bayern two points clear of the visitors despite two late consolation goals.

Dortmund came into the match in the unfamiliar position of first place, one point ahead of Bayern.

But Tuchel, who only had one training session with Bayern, said “he may never celebrate” with his players. Tuchel replaced the sacked Julian Nagelsmann last week and preferred a low-key celebration as Bayern went back to the top of the Bundesliga table.

“I think it’s not the moment. Julian was the coach until now and I came late in the season,” Tuchel told reporters after being asked why he opted not to join his players on the pitch at the Allianz Arena in front of fans at the end of the game.

“It was not the moment to put me in the middle of it and maybe it will never be the moment to put me in the middle of it.”

Bayern were pushing from the start but it was Kobel who gifted them a flying start in the 13th minute.

The keeper charged out of his box to try and clear Dayot Upamecano’s long pass, but could only make the faintest of contacts with the ball before watching helplessly as it rolled into the net.

Muller scored from a corner just five minutes later and pounced when Kobel spilled Leroy Sane’s shot five minutes after that.

Dortmund coach Edin Terzic backed his ‘keeper, saying: “We can’t forget that this man is the reason we were on top of the table.“

Emre Can converted a consolation penalty after Serge Gnabry fouled Jude Bellingham in the box, while Dutch forward Donyell Malen added a second for Dortmund in the last minute of normal time. Earlier, Union Berlin kept up their surprise pursuit of the Bundesliga title with a 3-0 victory over rock-bottom Stuttgart.

Second-half goals from Sheraldo Becker, Kevin Behrens and an own goal from former Union player Genki Haraguchi took the third-placed side to just two points behind second-placed Dortmund and four from Bayern.

Elsewhere, Mainz dealt fifth-placed Leipzig’s bid for Champions League football next season a blow, winning 3-0 at the Red Bull Arena.

Freiburg missed a chance to take advantage of Leipzig’s loss, drawing 1-1 at home against struggling Hertha Berlin.

Bayer Leverkusen handed Schalke their first defeat in nine matches, winning 3-0 away thanks to second-half goals from Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Sardar Azmoun.

Meanwhile, a goal from Germany forward Felix Nmecha in the sixth minute of injury time stole a point for Wolfsburg, who drew 2-2 at home against Augsburg.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2023