(Football news) Bayern suffered their second loss of the season as they lost 2-1 against struggling Augsburg. The result snapped Bayern's four game winning run in the league but are still on top of the table with 28 points. With Dortmund in second on 24 points they have the chance to close the gap when they host VFB Stuttgart. Augsburg victory lifted them out of the relegation zone into 15th.
Bayern’s Thomas Muller was making his historical 600th appearance for the club as they were missing three players through COVID-19 quarantine, including Joshua Kimmich who was out again when he came in contact with another infected person. In the first half Bayern had 75% possession at the start but Augsburg caught them with a sucker punch when Pedersen gave them a surprise lead when he powered home a low shot for his maiden goal. Then in the 36th minute Bayern’s Marcel Sabitzer lost possession in his own half as Lago produced an inch perfect cross for Andre Hahn who rose highest to head the ball in the net. The celebrations of the home fans were short lived as two minutes later Robert Lewandowski scored his 14th league goal from a Mueller assist to cut the deficit.
In the second half, Augsburg reamined disciplined in defence and looked comfortable soaking the Bayern pressure. The visitors did not have many chances but in the 73rd minute they came the closest to equalise when Alphonso Davis’ low shot just flew wide of the post. With time ticking down, Lewandowski was denied by a great save from Gikiewicz as Augsburg held on for the first win over Bayern since 2015.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said, “It was not an undeserved win for Augsburg, I am disappointed and for the first time as Bayern coach really frustrated. We did not use the large spaces we had in the first half. We made mistakes with possession. We had a numerical advantage in midfield but did not use it. We did not go over the wings when we could. Then we were 2-0 back. In the end what we did was not enough to get a point," he added.
Thomas Muller after the match said, “The first half was bad — very bad, and in the second half, you could see that we wanted to turn it around, but maybe we didn’t earn that bit of luck in front of the goal. This is a bitter setback in our self-image. I think we were too careless and then it happens that you get punished. Sometimes it happens that you may finish a match unpunished.”
He also commented on the possible foul on Gnabry and Thomas was frustrated at the referee: “The referee said he gave an advantage, but that’s not an advantage when Serge tries to continue. I haven’t seen any advantages there.”
