File photo of Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayern Munich in a Bundesliga match
Borussia Monchengladbach beat Bayern Munich 2-1 as the Bundesliga resumes despite a coronavirus-induced absence.
The first game after the league’s winter break was in doubt as several changes were particularly difficult with Bayern at both clubs.
League officials decided the club had enough strength to play on Friday.
Robert Lewandowski got Bayern off to a good start with his 20th league goal, but Gladbach scored two goals in four minutes through Florian Neuhaus and Stefan Lanner to hold on for the win.
Gladbach also won their last meeting – 5–0 in the German Cup in October.
The Bavarian powerhouse was without nine players due to the transition – Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez, Kingsley Koman, Alfonso Davies, Leroy Sane, Dayot Upamecano, Corentin Tolisso, Omar Richards and Tangui Nianjo – while Dwarf Sir and Eric-Maxim Chopo-Moting are in the squad. Far flung. , In the African Cup.
Leon Goretzka and Josip Stanisic were ruled out with injuries.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann reacted by calling six players from the club’s second team and two 16-year-olds in Arizon Ibrahimovic and Paul Weiner.
The latter became Bayern’s youngest ever player in the Bundesliga, taking 16 years, 15 days in the 75th minute.
Jamal Musiala was the club’s previous youngest Bundesliga player at 17 years, 115 days.
Forward Malik Tillman made his debut in the league, while Joshua Kimmich returned after a two-month absence due to complications from his infection.
Bayern showed no sign of missing any player as it started on purpose amid snowfall.
Lewandowski was involved from the start and he duly scored in the 18th minute with a fine strike inside the near post.
But the visitors equalized with their first attempt in the 27th, with Neuhaus trying to meet Kimmich in a Bayern goal with a dropkick near Sven Ulrich.
Lanner took Gladbach’s second four minutes later with a header from Luka Netz in the corner.
Brielle Embolo missed a decent chance to make it 3-1, and Lewandowski hit the post from a narrow angle, trailing a defender at the other end.
Mathias Ginter clears up a rebound attempt from Thomas Müller.
Somar refused Musiala after the break, when the home team again made a better impression.
Muller and Kimmich were about to come close, and Lewandowski hit the crossbar.
It was as close as Bayern was to second.
– AP. with input from