Reds fall to clinical Hoffenheim

FC Bayern fell 2-1 to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon. Sargis Adamyan put the visitors in front early after half-time, Robert Lewandowski levelling the scores midway through the second half, but Adamyan rounded off his brace and restored Hoffenheim's lead with ten minutes to go.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Joshua Kimmich, Jérôme Boateng, Niklas Süle and Benjamin Pavard in a back four. Thiago and Corentin Tolisso anchored a midfield featuring Serge Gnabry, Philippe Coutinho and Kingsley Coman, with hitman Lewandowski up front. Thomas Müller and Ivan Perišić came on for Coman and Tolisso on the hour mark.

No goals

After match official Tobias Stieler whistled play underway in front of the 75,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena, the first chance fell to the visitors, Boateng making a crucial block against Adamyan. The first 20 minutes were a dour affair, with Bayern uninspired in attack, whereas Hoffenheim worked tirelessly without the ball but failed to do anything special when they had it.

Bayern upped the ante midway through the first half, Hoffenheim clearing two Kimmich crosses before Bayern had the ball in the back of the net when another Kimmich cross invited Gnabry to tap in, but the linesman had raised his flag for Kimmich's offside position. Visiting netminder Oliver Baumann denied Lewandowski before Tolisso fired over the bar, Lewandowski glancing a header wide. Coutinho miscued from distance before Stefan Posch drew a save from Neuer at the other end, and a miscued Tolisso effort meant the contest was goalless at half-time.

Early shock

Neuer comfortably saved from Robert Skov after the restart but was soon beaten when Adamyan turned and fired into the low corner of the net. Munich went looking for a reply, Coutinho's deflected shot going wide. Posch miscued from tight angle at the other end, Lewandowski seeing an effort blocked and Gnabry flicking a header wide. Lewandowski missed a header but soon levelled the scores, heading home a Müller cross.

Bayern were in for another setback with ten minutes to go, Adamyan blasting into the low corner. Müller saw an effort blocked before Süle blasted over from distance, a deflected Gnabry shot going wide, and Stieler blew for full-time.

A large number of Bayern pros will be on national team duty during the international break before the Reds return to action on 19 October, when they travel to face Augsburg in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen