Bayern holds at RB Leipzig, as Bundesliga returns with cold Comfort

Marcel Halstenberg, RB Leipzig defender, scored a second-half equaliser to help RB Leipzig draw Bayern Munich 1-1 at home on Friday in the Bundesliga’s first match since the winter break.

Bayern appeared on track to win their seventh consecutive Bundesliga title after Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting scored in the 37th minute. But Halstenberg equalized in the 52nd minute.

Thomas Mueller, a veteran Bayern forward, had the chance to win the match in injuries time but his shot from point blank range was just too wide.

Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern manager, lamented his team’s conceded goal but stated that a point was worth more to him than to Leipzig considering their relative positions in the table.

“Leipzig had a strong game. Both teams played a little too wild but we can accept the draw at the end.”

Both sides struggled to find their rhythm due to rustiness and sub-zero temperatures after a ten week break.

Josko Gvardiol was a central defender and one of the most prominent stars at the World Cup. After seven minutes, his attempt to stop Serge Gnabry’s cross nearly resulted in an own-goal.

Bayern’s midfielder Leon Goretzka put the ball in the net after 31 minutes. However, the goal was cancelled due to a narrow offside against Matthijs de Ligt, Munich centre-back.

Cameroon’s striker Choupo Moting scored the winning goal for the reigning champions, tapping a Gnabry cross over Janis Blaswich, Leipzig keeper. This was Choupo-Moting’s 11th goal in ten competitions.

Leipzig rose from the ashes to regain parity just after halftime, when Halstenberg side-footed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s header to score his first goal for the season.

Leipzig enjoyed its most dominant period, with Bayern frequently challenging Leipzig as the visitors tried to regain control.

Bayern were unlucky not to be reduced down to ten men in the final minute of France’s match. Dayot Upamecano, defender for France, brought down Szoboszlai. Szoboszlai was unable to score and Yann Sommer was left to defend.

Upamecano, along with manager Julian Nagelsmann from Leipzig, was given a yellow card.

Marco Rose, Leipzig manager, was given a yellow card after he argued with the referee in the final minutes of the game. Rose said that he could accept the decision.

Rose stated, “At the beginning I saw it differently. I thought he [Szoboszlai] was through.”

“But, I spoke with the referee. I can see his argument. A yellow card is completely OK.”

Halstenberg said that it was an exchanging of blows, and it could have gone either direction. It’s a shame, but we can begin (the season) by making a point.

Red Bull-owned Leipzig has now lost to the Bavarians just once in 16 competition appearances since being promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016-17.

Leipzig currently sits in third, six points behind Bayern.

Bayern will still be the outright table leader, regardless of other results. Second-placed Freiburg, however, have the chance to reduce the gap at the top by two points when they travel down to Wolfsburg this Saturday.

dwi/dj