SPORTS
Bayern and Freiburg share the spoils
Baku, March 2, AZERTAC
FC Bayern were held to a 2-2 draw by SC Freiburg in their 2,000th Bundesliga game on Friday night. Christian Günter put the hosts ahead, Mathys Tel levelling the scores before half-time. Jamal Musiala handed Bayern the lead, but Lucas Höler's late goal meant the spoils were shared at the Europa-Park Stadion, according to One Football.
The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Joshua Kimmich, Minjae Kim, Eric Dier and Raphaël Guerreiro in defence. Aleksander Pavlović and Leon Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Tel, Thomas Müller and Musiala, with Harry Kane up front. Konrad Laimer, Alphonso Davies, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Dayot Upamecano took over from Kimmich, Guerreiro, Müller and Musiala in the second half.
Freiburg got off to the better start and took the lead when Neuer made a strong save to deny Roland Sallai and the latter's follow-up hit the bar, but Bayern failed to clear the ball and Günter netted. Neuer then denied Günter a second before Vincenzo Grifo fired wide.
Munich slowly but surely found their feet, Musiala seeing two efforts blocked before Tel's sumptuous curler from the edge of the box found the far corner of the net. Keeper Noah Atubolu saved from Goretzka and Kimmich as the teams turned round with the score level.
Kane fired just wide and Maximilian Eggestein aimed too high at the other end. Tel saw a shot deflected behind before Eggestein miscued and Kane blasted over.
Atubolu denied Musiala and Kane saw a header cleared off the line from the ensuing corner, but a goal was coming and arrived when Musiala wriggled his way past a number of defenders before finding the far corner of the net to crown his solo run. Eggestein headed wide, but Michael Gregoritsch invited Höler to beat Neuer with a fine half-volley just minutes from the end.
The result means Bayern have 54 points from 24 matches, seven short of Leverkusen, who take on Köln on Sunday. The Bavarians will be back in action on Tuesday when they entertain Lazio in the Champions League last 16 return leg.
