Bayern Munich and Dortmund share points in thrilling Bundesliga "Clasico"
Agencies4 min read
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Borussia Dortmund forced a 2-2 draw on their hosts Bayern Munich in the "German Clasico" match on Saturday at the Allianz Arena, in the top fixture of the eighth round of the German Football League "Bundesliga".
With this result, both teams raised their tally to 18 points, continuing to tie at the top of the table, with Bayern Munich retaining first place on goal difference, while Dortmund bolstered its position among the most prominent title contenders after emerging with a precious point from the stadium of the record-holder for the number of league titles.
The match began at a fast pace, as Bayern Munich attempted to impose its control on the flow of play, benefiting from home field and crowd advantage, and Frenchman Michael Olise almost gave his team an early lead when he struck a ball that hit the post in the 10th minute.
The hosts continued their attacking pressure, while Dortmund relied on quick counter-attacks and attempts to exploit gaps in their opponent's defense, before suffering an early blow with the departure of Moroccan Ismael Saibari due to injury in the 29th minute, and Bayern then also had to make a forced substitution following Serge Gnabry's injury in the 31st minute.
Dortmund thought they had taken the lead when Englishman Jobe Bellingham hit the net in the 34th minute, but the referee disallowed the goal after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for a foul committed by Austrian Carney Chukwuemeka against the Bayern Munich goalkeeper.
The Bavarian team's response was not delayed, as Konrad Laimer succeeded in opening the scoring in the 38th minute, after following up a ball that rebounded from Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel following an attack that began with a pass from Frenchman Michael Olise, putting his team in front.
With the start of the second half, Bayern Munich continued its attempts to extend its lead, and Laimer almost added a second goal in the 47th minute, but Kobel blocked his attempt, before a golden opportunity presented itself to Englishman Harry Kane to widen the gap.
Bayern was awarded a penalty kick in the 56th minute following a handball inside the penalty area, but Kane, who recently won the Ballon d'Or, wasted the opportunity after shooting the ball against the crossbar, keeping the result as it was and giving Dortmund a chance to return to the atmosphere of the match.
The visiting team quickly capitalized on the situation, as Serhou Guirassy equalized in the 60th minute after Carney Chukwuemeka led an organized attack inside the penalty area and passed the ball to the Guinean striker, who put it into the net, bringing the match back to the starting point.
But Bayern Munich did not wait long to regain its lead, as French defender Dayot Upamecano scored the second goal in the 66th minute, benefiting from a precise header from Harry Kane after a cross sent by Joshua Kimmich, giving the hosts a new advantage in the score.
Kane wasted another chance to extend his team's lead when his shot hit the post in the 75th minute, in a moment that reflected the bad luck that dogged the Bavarian team in front of the goal, before receiving another blow with the exit of Olise due to injury in the 84th minute.
While the match was heading toward a Bayern Munich victory, Portuguese substitute Fabio Silva succeeded in snatching the equalizing goal for Dortmund in the 89th minute, taking advantage of an attack by the visiting team, igniting the final minutes and giving his team a precious point in the struggle for the top spot.
The teams' attempts in the remaining time did not result in a change to the score, despite Bayern continuing to search for a winner, ending the summit in a 2-2 draw, a result that kept the competition open between the rivals at the top of the Bundesliga.