Bayern on the cusp after thriller

FC Bayern were held to a 3-3 draw by RB Leipzig in a thrilling encounter in the Bundesliga. Benjamin Šeško and Lukas Klostermann netted for the home side in the first half, but Bayern produced a scintillating comeback after the restart and turned things around through Eric Dier, Michael Olise and Leroy Sané. A victory would have secured title, but Leipzig levelled the scores through Yussuf Poulsen in the last seconds.

The result means Bayer Leverkusen can only mathematically topple Bayern from top spot. The Bavarians have 76 points from 32 matches, nine clear of their closest rivals, who have three matches to go but a much inferior goal difference.

Bayern lined up with Jonas Urbig in goal and Sacha Boey, Dier, Josip Stanišić and Konrad Laimer in defence. Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlović, Sané and Olise featured in midfield, with Serge Gnabry and Thomas Müller up front. Leon Goretzka and Kingsley Coman took over from Boey and Müller on the hour, with João Palhinha coming on for Gnabry in the closing stages. Manuel Neuer was also back on the bench for the first time since his calf injury.

Trailing at half-time

The home side got off to the better start, Urbig making a fine save against Amadou Haidara before Šeško miscued, but the offside flag went up in any case. Gnabry hit the side-netting and Sané saw a shot saved before Leipzig took the lead on the break when Xavi’s long ball found Šeško, who smashed the ball into the net after Urbig tried to beat the forward to the ball but slipped.

Urbig denied Šeško again, but Bayern went looking for a reply and both Müller and Olise saw efforts blocked. Leipzig netted again when Klostermann headed in from David Raum’s curled free-kick. Gnabry miscued a header as Bayern were two down at half-time.

Late leveller after rousing fightback

Munich upped the pressure, but clear-cut chances were few and far between at first. Pavlović saw a header saved, but Bayern then struck twice to deadly. They pulled one back when Dier headed in from Olise’s corner. Then straight from the restart, Bayern won the ball in Leipzig’s half, with Gnabry releasing the charging Olise, who smashed home to level the scores, with barely 45 seconds between the goals.

Vincent Kompany’s men were on fire, RB goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoort having to deny Sané and Goretzka before Laimer headed just over. Coman made a fine first touch to get hold of a long ball, only for his second touch to let him down while rounding the keeper. Olise hit the outside of the post, but the assistant’s flag was up. Coman saw a shot saved, but Kimmich soon flicked Gnabry’s pass to Sané, who fired into the far corner of the net. It looked as if Bayern had sealed the title, but Xavi set up Poulsen, who chipped the ball over Urbig and into the net with the full-time whistle imminent.

The Bavarians will be back in action next Saturday when they entertain Borussia Mönchengladbach in the final home match of the season.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen