Bayern denied title by Leipzig’s last-gasp equaliser

Published May 4, 2025
LEIPZIG: Bayern Munich’s Eric Dier (C) heads to score during the Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.—Reuters
LEIPZIG: Bayern Munich’s Eric Dier (C) heads to score during the Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.—Reuters

LEIPZIG: RB Leipzig’s Yussuf Poulsen scored a stoppage-time goal to snatch a 3-3 draw against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday and delay the Bavarians’ title celebrations by at least a day.

In a rollercoaster game, Bayern found themselves 2-0 down at halftime before scoring two goals in two minutes to level and taking an 83rd-minute lead.

Poulsen, however, struck seconds before the end to leave Bayern on 76 points, nine ahead of champions Leverkusen, who travel to Freiburg on Sunday.

Bayern, with two games left to play and a much better goal difference than Leverkusen, will secure their 34th league crown should Leverkusen fail to win.

The draw also kept Leipzig, fifth on 50 points, in the running for a top-four finish and a spot in next season’s Champions League.

It was supposed to be triumphant afternoon for Bayern but they found themselves on the back foot from the start with the hosts piling on early pressure.

Leipzig had two big chances before Benjamin Sesko completed a one-pass quick break from Xavi Simmons with a superbly curled shot past keeper Jonas Urbig in the 11th minute.

With the Bundesliga’s leading scorer Harry Kane, desperate to clinch the first major title of his career, suspended and watching from the stands, the visitors were toothless in attack.

It got even worse for them six minute before the break when Lukas Klostermann easily beat his marker to head in a David Raum free kick and double Leipzig’s lead.

Bayern turned things around after the break, however, with Eric Dier heading in Michael Olise’s corner at the near post and Olise rifling in the equaliser a minute later.

They thought they had done enough to secure the title when Leroy Sane struck seven minutes from time and Kane moved down from the stands to watch the final minutes from the sideline, ready to celebrate with his team-mates.

But Poulsen spoiled the party, chipping the ball over Urbig for the equaliser. Bayern can win the title in front of a home crowd next week when they host Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Elsewhere, Union Berlin came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home against Werder Bremen, denting the visitors hopes of European football this season.

Bremen, hoping to return to Europe for the first time in 15 years, were two goals up after a quarter of an hour thanks to a Jens Stage brace.

Union’s Tom Rothe pulled one back with a header late in the first half and Laszlo Benes scored with six minutes remaining.

Borussia Moenchengladbach’s European hopes also took a hit with a wild 4-4 home draw against Hoffenheim, leaving them three points off the Europa League placings with two games remaining.

Nick Woltemade scored with two minutes remaining to send VfB Stuttgart to a 1-0 win at St Pauli.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2025

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