Reds fall to ruthless Hoffenheim

FC Bayern were condemned to a first league defeat this season with a 2-0 loss at Hoffenheim. Mark Uth put the hosts in front against the run of play after 26 minutes before rubbing salt into the wound early in the second half, whereas the Reds regularly failed to deliver the final ball.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Joshua Kimmich, Mats Hummels, Javi Martínez and Rafinha in a back four. Corentin Tolisso and Sebastian Rudy anchored a midfield featuring Thiago in the playmaking role, with Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman in a potent attacking trident.

Carlo Ancelotti made five changes to the team that saw off Bremen before the international break. Martínez, Rafinha and Rudy took over from Niklas Süle, David Alaba and Arturo Vidal, with Müller and Coman replacing Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry.

Uth shocks Bayern

The 30,150 capacity crowd at the Rhein-Neckar Arena saw the visitors go straight onto the front foot, Lewandowski almost making the dominance count when he shaved the bar after six minutes. It was one-way traffic for the German record champions as Julian Nagelsmann's troops failed to get to grips in the opening stages. Bayern displayed positional flexibility, Müller and the particularly industrious Coman causing havoc in Hoffenheim's rearguard, with Hummels deputising as playmaker at times. However, when match official Daniel Siebert blew for half-time Bayern were not in front. Hoffenheim were.

For all their dominance the men from Munich lacked the final ball, and the hosts shocked them with a sucker-punch shortly before the half-hour. Hoffenheim took a quick throw-in, Mark Uth beating the Bayern defenders to the ball to crash it past Neuer. It would be too much to say Bayern were caught napping, but the home side were a step quicker, and the goal changed the contest radically.

Nagelsmann's troops were visibly buoyed by the lead, although a Lewandowski free-kick went just wide shortly after. The contest was much more balanced now, Steven Zuber drawing a fine save from Neuer before his Hoffenheim counterpart Oliver Baumann proved equal to a Tolisso header with the half-time whistle imminent.

Away blues

After the restart Bayern were looking to turn the tide, Coman aiming a little too high from 12 yards. The day turned sour when Zuber invited the unmarked Uth to bag his brace, lashing home into Neuer's bottom-right corner. Ancelotti changed things up before the hour-mark with Arjen Robben coming on for Rudy. The Dutchman soon set up Müller who hit the side-netting before Tolisso fired over the bar from distance. Coman tested Baumann and Müller then miscued a header. Ancelotti brought on James Rodríguez for his Bundesliga debut and Ribéry in a double switch for Rafinha and Müller in an effort to galvanise his side, but Baumann proved equal to a James header and Bayern's relentless attacks proved ultimately uninspired.

The result means Bayern have six points from three Bundesliga matches and sit a point off top spot. The Reds face Anderlecht in the Champions League just three days from now and return to Bundesliga action next Saturday, when they entertain Mainz.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen