Well-oiled Union Berlin hold Bayern Munich to draw
Bayern Munich missed the chance to regain top spot after dropping points for the second week in a row in a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin.
Union Berlin 1-1 Bayern Munich
Goals: 1-0 Becker 12' (assist: Trimmel), 1-1 Kimmich 15'
Bayern started with customary intent as Leroy Sane had a shot charged down and Marcel Sabitzer fired wide from distance, but the first goal went the way of Union. Sheraldo Becker scored it, the Union striker meeting Christopher Trimmel's measured free-kick with a side-footed volley into the far corner. Bayern's response was immediate, and no less impressive. After Jamal Musiala had a shot charged down, Kimmich took aim from a tight angle inside the Union area, arrowing with unerring accuracy into the bottom corner. Frederik Rönnow denied Sane a certain goal with his trailing foot, while at the other end Benjamin Pavard prevented Julian Ryerson connecting at close-range with a Kevin Behrens cut-back.
Union had starved Sadio Mane of opportunites in the first half, but were almost caught out by the Senegal star's pace after the restart. He dropped deep to combine with Alphonso Davies, before tearing into the box and pulling a shot across goal and wide. The visitors had barely threatened when substitute Jamie Leweling barreled in on goal, only to be denied by Manuel Neuer's reflexes. Bayern returned fire with Davies, who made Rönnow work with a mishit shot on the run. The Union goalkeeper was at it again in added time, diving full stretch to beat away Mane's flying header. Pavard fired off target from the ensuing corner as unbeaten Union took a fully deserved point off the record champions, who slip to third in the standings.
Match stats
- Union are unbeaten in 12 Bundesliga matches, since losing 4-0 to Bayern in March 2021.
- Becker has a league-high and career-best five goals already this Bundesliga season.
- Bayern have scored in every Bundesliga game since a goalless draw with RB Leipzig on 9 Febryary 2020.
- Mane had scored, had a goal rule out or both in his previous four Bundesliga appearances.
- Thomas Müller started a Bundesliga game on the bench for the first time since February 2021. He made his 633rd competitive appearance for the club. Only Sepp Maier (702) has made more.
- Union have never beaten Bayern in seven attempts, drawing three and losing four.
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Watch: Sheraldo Becker - "Everything's going in for me right now!"
Teams
Union: Rönnow - Doekhi, Knoche, Jaeckel - Trimmel (c), Thorsby (Haraguchi 85'), Khedira, Schäfer (Seguin 85'), Ryerson (Gießelmann 81') - Becker (Leweling 62'), Behrens (Michel 62')
Unused subs: Grill, Puchacz, Öztunali, Pantovic
Out: Baumgartl (match fitness), Jordan (muscle), Leite (bruising)
Coach: Urs Fischer
Bayern: Neuer - Pavard, Upamecano, de Ligt, Davies (Goretzka 85') - Kimmich (Gravenberch 62'), Sabitzer - Coman (Gnabry 73'), Musiala (Müller 62'), Sane - Mane
Unused subs: Ulreich, Choupo-Moting, Hernandez, Mazraoui, Stanisic
Out: Sarr (patella tendon), Tel (capsular tear)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Watch: Thomas Muller - "I enjoy watching Union"
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