Bayern Munich edge Union Berlin to close gap at the top to four points
Bayern Munich closed the gap on Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen to four points after beating Union Berlin 1-0 in their rescheduled Matchday 13 fixture on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich 1-0 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Guerreiro (46')
Heavy snow in Munich had prevented the teams playing this fixture back in December, and Union were soon forced to weather a storm of a different kind at the Allianz Arena as Bayern - looking to bounce back from the shock 1-0 defeat by Werder Bremen at the weekend - pinned their visitors inside their own half. Matthijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano drew a smart double save from Frederik Rønnow from a corner, before the Danish custodian was called into action again to thwart Kingsley Coman's shot from range. Coman later drilled wide following good work from Jamal Musiala as Thomas Tuchel's side tried to force the issue, but they found no way past an inspired Rønnow before the interval.
That all changed early in the second half when Harry Kane hit the post following a cross from the right, with Guerreiro first to the rebound with a superb outside-of-the-boot finish from inside the box. Kane thought he had doubled Bayern's lead a short while later, only for it to be ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Jerome Roussillon almost made for a tense final 15 minutes when he tested Manuel Neuer with a fine shot from a tight angle, but the Bayern goalkeeper proved equal to it. Rønnow produced another fine save as the final whistle approach, keeping out Leon Goretzka's thundering header to keep alive his side's chances of claiming a draw, but the hosts held on for a vital win that keeps them in touch with leaders Leverkusen.
Match stats
- Eric Dier made his Bundesliga debut when he came on in the second half
- In joining Kane on the pitch, it was the first time two English players have ever played for Bayern at the same time. The pair previously played together 359 times for Tottenham and England.
- Guerreiro has now scored four times against Union. Schalke are the only Bundesliga team has has scored against more often, with five.
- Goretzka made his 200th competitive appearance for Bayern in this game.
- Union are the only Bundesliga team yet to score in 2024.
- Chris Bedia, who scored 10 goals in 17 appearances for Servette in the first half of the season, made his Union debut here.
Watch: Raphael Guerreiro on the title race
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Teams
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Laimer (Pavlovic 86'), Upamecano (Dier 46'), De Ligt, Guerreiro - Kimmich, Goretzka - Coman (Tel 76'), Musiala (Müller 76'), Sané - Kane
Unused subs: Ulreich, Davies, Zvonarek, Krätzig, Choupo-Moting,
Out: Buchmann (thigh), Gnabry (thigh), Kim (international duty), Mazraoui (international duty), Peretz (knee), Sarr (knee
Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Union: Rønnow (c) - Knoche, Vogt, Leite - Král (Aaronson 78') - Trimmel, Tousart, Haberer (Bedia 78'), Gosens (Roussillon 64') - Volland (Behrens 26'), Hollerbach (Schäfer 64')
Unused subs: Busk, Jaeckel, Doekhi, Kaufmann
Out: Juranović (muscular), Khedira (calf), Laïdouni (international duty)
Coach: Nenad Bjelica
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