Sommer heroics help Foals to 1-1 draw in Munich

Matchday 4’s Topspiel in the Bundesliga ended in a remarkable 1-1 draw away at FC Bayern. Marcus Thuram put Borussia ahead against the run of play just before the break, but Leroy Sané finally broke Yann Sommer’s incredible resistance in the second half.

75,024 fans in a sold-out Allianz Arena – including more than 6,000 Borussia supporters – saw a dominant performance from the off by the record champions. Bayern were buzzing around the box constantly, and it took some resolute defending and a little luck for the scores to stay goalless; Sadio Mané had two goals ruled out for narrow offside calls in the space of five minutes. The first goal came very much against the run of play, with Marcus Thuram taking full advantage of Dayot Upamecano’s miskick to make it 1-0 at half time. The hosts came out all guns blazing in the second half and it was just a matter of when they would score. Yann Sommer produced a string of amazing saves, racking up a record-breaking 19 in total by full time, but there was one shot that he could not keep out. Leroy Sané finally broke the Foals’ resistance in the 83rd minute, finishing low into the bottom corner to ensure a 1-1 draw, a result that continues Borussia’s unbeaten start under Daniel Farke.

TEAM NEWS

The head coach made a change to his starting line-up for the first time in the Bundesliga, with an ill Ramy Bensebaini replaced by Luca Netz at left-back. Otherwise, it was business as usual: Yann Sommer was in goal behind a defence made up of Joe Scally, Ko Itakura, Nico Elvedi and Netz, Manu Koné and Christoph Kramer paired up centre-midfield, and the trio of Jonas Hofmann, Florian Neuhaus and Alassane Plea supported the lone strike Marcus Thuram.

Apart from Bensebaini, who is suffering from a cold, the Foals were also without birthday boy Stefan Lainer for the trip to Munich due to swelling in his knee.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS:

1’: The first chance falls to Bayern as Mané gets a head to an in-swinging corner from Kimmich. Sommer is on hand to make his first vital save of the night.

18’: A dangerous free-kick from Kimmich sails across the face of goal, with Müller narrowly missing getting on the end of it.

22’: Coman dances his way through three defenders before unleashing a shot that sails over the bar, as Bayern continue to pile on the pressure.

29’: Coman looks to pick out Mané with a cross, but Scally is alert and able to clear it for a corner.

30’: Müller and Sané combine to find each other at the top of the box, with Sané’s volley narrowly missing the target.

33’: Sané drives forward into the six-yard box, closely marked by Itakura. His quick feet allow him to track Sané’s movement before sliding to block the shot.

34’: Coman and Sané combine to find Müller inside the area, he finds Mané at the back post and the Senegalese forward only has to stick out a foot to tap home the opener. VAR then intervenes after spotting that Sané was offside in the build-up, blocking Sommer’s view, and the goal is chalked off.

39’: Bayern have the ball in the back of the net again, but it won’t count once again – this time, it’s Mané himself who is correctly called offside after scoring.

43’: The opener right before half time! Upamecano misjudges a long clearance from Kramer at the halfway line, allowing Thuram to run on to the ball and go one-on-one with Neuer. Tikus keeps his cool and slots it past the keeper. 1-0 to Gladbach.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS:

48’: Coman picks out Müller with a cross, but Sommer is able to redirect his header wide of the target.

60’: Itakura rises highest to meet a corner, Borussia’s first of the night, but his header is easily caught by Neuer.

61’: Another huge save from Yann Sommer! Müller’s cross into the box lands with Mané, who is able to get off a shot from close range that forces Sommer into a save with his trailing leg. The rebound falls back to the Senegal international, but our number 1 is on hand to deny him once again.

65’: Sommer comes up with a big stop again! A perfectly weighted pass from Pavard finds Sané in alone on the breakaway, but Sommer makes himself big to deny Bayern another goalscoring opportunity.

71’: Sommer showcases his incredible reflexes to first parry Gnabry’s shot, before saving a header from Müller off the resulting cross.

75’: Pavard lets loose a powerful effort from range, forcing Sommer to stretch and claw it out of the top-right corner.

77’: Bayern are denied once again, this time by the post, as Kimmich’s corner smacks the woodwork.

83’: Equaliser. Davies cuts inside from the left, finding Musiala who then picks out Sané. The latter leaves a helpless Sommer rooted to the spot this time as he buries the equaliser in the bottom-left corner. 1-1.

90’: Wolf wins the ball in midfield, kick-starting a counterattack. The ball finds its way to Herrmann, who plays it on to Thuram. The French striker evades Upamecano, before looking to place a shot in the far corner. Neuer is on hand to make the save, however, ensuring the points are shared in Munich.

TEAM NEWS

FC Bayern: Neuer – Pavard, Upamecano, Hernandez, Davies – Kimmich, Sabitzer (68’ Musiala) – Sané (85’ de Ligt), Müller, Coman – Mané (68’ Gnabry)

Borussia: Sommer – Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz – Kramer, Koné (85’ Jantschke) – Hofmann (85’ Herrmann), Neuhaus (77’ Friedrich), Plea (52’ Wolf) – Thuram // Unused subs: Sippel, Stindl, Beyer, Reitz, Borges Sanches

Goals: 0-1 Thuram (43’), 1-1 Sané (83’)

Attendance: 75,024 (Allianz Arena)

Yellow cards: Kimmich, Sabitzer, Sané, Nagelsmann, Pavard – Plea, Kramer

Referee: Daniel Schlager (Hügelsheim)

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Christoph Kramer's clearance led to Borussia's opening goal
Jonas Hofmann and goalscorer Marcus Thuram celebrate taking the lead in Munich
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