Bayern Munich stunned by ruthless Gladbach
October 6, 2018
Bayern Munich 0-3 Gladbach
(Plea 10', Stindl 16', Herrmann 88')
After Borussia Dortmund's dramatic last-minute win against Augsburg, the drama continued in the Bundesliga on Saturday as Bayern Munich were stunned by Gladbach. Two goals in the opening passage of the game gave Gladbach a lead that Bayern showed very little sign of challenging.
Great work by Lars Stindl to wrestle the ball back off Niklas Süle started the move for Gladbach's opener. Dieter Hecking's side worked the ball around the box before it eventually fell to Alassane Plea. The Frenchman struck a brilliant low, curling effort past Manuel Neuer and suddenly, somewhat out of the blue, Gladbach were ahead.
Rather than responding, Bayern crumbled. Thiago mis-controlled the ball on the edge of the box after a pass out the back from Neuer, Jonas Hofmann nipped in and passed to Stindl. The returning forward ducked inside the on-rushing Mats Hummels and fired low into the bottom corner.
From that point on, remarkably, Bayern looked beaten. Robert Lewandowski had the ball in the net, but was offside as the home side looked short of creativity. A bad day was made worse when David Alaba was forced off with injury, before late on, an unmarked Patrick Herrmann slammed in a third as Bayern looked sloppy once again.
It's the fourth game in a row in all competitions that Bayern Munich have gone without a win, and it leaves Dortmund four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
As it happened:
Result: Bayern Munich 0-3 Gladbach
90+3' The dissection of this will be extensive and loud. Niko Kovac thought he was having a tough job before this one. Now, four games without a win in all competitions, will be enormous.
88' GOAL! 3-0 Gladbach (Herrmann) After a lengthy delay because of VAR, the goal stands and this is a dark day for Bayern. A corner comes in, Christoph Kramer flicks on and Patrick Herrmann slams home despite the presence of four (!) Bayern players. In movement, Herrmann avoids all the players and has enough room to build a house before he scores. The VAR check was for handball, but correctly gave the attacker the benefit of the doubt. 3-0. And for the second time today, goodness me.
86' Sommer punches clear, and then Sanches fires wide. It's hit and hope time for Bayern, although in truth it has been for the last 10 minutes or so.
81' It many ways it feels like Bayern are just playing down the clock, smartly controlling the game until it's over and they win. But this time, it doesn't look like they will. What a surreal moment this is for Bayern, but also for the Bundesliga.
76' It has all happened for Bayern today. Leon Goretzka gets his throw-in wrong and Gladbach get the ball as a result. This game is just slipping away from Bayern...
71' CHANCE! Gladbach break, but a tired Florian Neuhaus can only drag his shot wide of the far post. That really would have been game over. Just 20 minutes for Bayern now, but you get the feeling one goal will change it all.
68' CHANCE! Lewandowski has the ball in the back of the net after great strength and a smart finish on the left, but he is offside. It's close, but his head is just over the line. Tough break for Bayern, but feels like a bit of pessure is building.
64' CHANCE! Ribery does well down the left and his chip into the box looks destined for Gnabry, but James gets there first and tries something acrobatic which goes over. A minute later, Gnabry does brilliantly to control the ball on the right, but his deep cross evades everyone. Much better from Bayern, but is it too late?
60' Pass, pass, pass. Bayern have no problem keeping the ball, but doing something with it is a different issue altogether. Nothing looks right. A goal though, might just change all that.
56' Renato Sanches is on for Alaba. Kimmich goes to left back, Goretzka to right, Sanches to the middle. Ribery shoulder barges Ginter, fairly, but the referee gives a foul. Ribery is furious and squares up to refree Frank Willenborg, who promptly books him. Well, at least someone is showing some fight for Bayern.
51' David Alaba doesn't look like he can continue. Seems to have pulled a muscle in a sprint. More bad news for Bayern. Gnabry causing a bit of trouble down the right, but Wendt doesn't concede the corner.
46' Bayern get us restarted, in need of something special to avoid something spectacular here. Gnabry and Ribery are on for Robben and Müller - James moves into the middle.
HALFTIME Gladbach scored a great long-range goal and took advantage of a defensive lapse in concentration to double up. Bayern have been sloppy and uninspired. The picture of the first half? Look at how happy Dieter Hecking is.
44' Gladbach sit deep and absorb. Bayern poke and probe but not with as much focus as normal. Bayern just can't find a way through, partly because Gladbach's positioning is good but also because the home side just aren't playing very well.
36' CHANCE! Lewandowski finally gets space to shoot in the box, but for all of its power it's relatively easy for Sommer. Again, Bayern are looking, rather remarkably for a side normally so ruthless, a little toothless.
32' CHANCE! Alaba whips in a cross, Müller flicks on for Robben at the back post, but he can't quite get it out from under his feet. Sommer saves, and the corner is cleared. It says a lot that that was a big chance for Bayern in this one.
30' Again, more drifting play from Bayern who feel like they are going through the motions somewhat. Gladbach get a corner but can't use it. Even they look a little surprised. Robben cuts in from the right, the crowd breathes in, but he is tackled. Perhaps that's Bayern's season in a moment.
22' Bayern are visibly a little stunned. There's a thumbs up from Lewandowski as his teammates try to get him involved, but it's all a bit slow. Neuer then mis-hits a clearance, Plea lets go from range - wide. Kovac goes beserk on the sidelines.
16' GOAL! 2-0 Gladbach (Stindl) Neuer passes it out short to Thiago, who, of all people, miscontrols it. Jonas Hofmann nips in, and then passes to Lars Stindl on the edge of the box. He tucks inside Mats Hummels before firing low into the bottom corner. Incredibly effective by Gladbach, uncharateristic from Bayern. And here we are, in a place that feels so unfamiliar for the Bundesliga - and for Bayern.
15' Bayern didn't really fly out of the blocks and they haven't really flinched in response either. It was a decent start, but not remarkable. Gladbach comfortable enough to play it out. Can't remember the last time a side in the Bundesliga felt comfortable enough to do that...
10' GOAL! 1-0 Gladbach (Plea) Out of nothing, the visitors lead! Alassane Plea curls a low effort from outside the area, and it took a light deflection (although it didn't change the directory much) before creeping in at the far post. Manuel Neuer at full stretch - no chance. Goodness me. What a day this is for the Bundesliga.
8' Thiago with a wonderful piece of control. Chests it down and then volleys it out wide. The attack comes to nothing, but that small piece of play deserved recongition. Just wow. Have the feeling he'll be key today - or any day for that matter. This Bayern pressure is still building...
6' All Bayern to start, as expected. Lots of crosses and long balls though, which wasn't expected. Gladbach doing a decent job of keeping Bayern at bay, but probably don't want to deal with this much pressure for too long.
4' CHANCE! Yann Sommer gets in the save of the season that no one will remember. Thomas Müller peels off and sends a diving header goalwards, but Sommer keeps it out with his fingertips. A brilliant save, but Müller was just offside so it wouldn't have counted anyway. Tell Yann that...
1' Gladbach get us underway. Will Bayern deliver for 10 minutes and then fade, as against Ajax, or will they steamroll the visitors? Time to find out.
New pitch! Around 14 odd days ago, Bayern had a new pitch laid in the Allianz Arena. It hasn't quite taken up yet - there are still a few patches of growth - but this is the evening where Bayern need to stop talking about the grass, the team selection or the recent drop in form. This is the evening where they must answer the critics and get their season back on track.
Teams! Jerome Boateng is ill, so Niklas Süle drops in for him. James starts, after apparently being unhappy at not playing enough. Robert Lewandowski could do with a goal. Gladbach's team looks similar, but it will be a real test for Florian Neuhaus. The young midfield has impressed so far this season, but Bayern away is another test altogether.
Bayern Munich XI: Neuer - Alaba, Hummels, Süle, Kimmich - Thiago, Goretzka - James, Müller, Robben - Lewandowski
Gladbach XI: Sommer - Wendt, Elvedi, Ginter, Lang - Kramer, Neuhaus - Hazard, Stindl, Hofmann - Plea
Right then Bayern! I'm still getting my breath back, but there's not much time for that because Bayern Munich are up. Right now, they are four points behind Bayern. A win today keeps it close, but a defeat, well, it would make for a sensational season start but it won't please most in Munich.