Bundesliga wrap: matchday eight. Bayern drop points but stay on top

Champions, FC Bayern München are still the leaders in Germany’s Bundesliga despite two dropped points after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen.

The Bayern head coach, Hans-Dieter Flick had predicted a tough contest at the Alianz Arena on Saturday and so it proved as the visitors took the lead on the stroke of halftime, through Maximilian Eggestein.

Manuel Neuer was the sole reason why Bremen did not open the scoring earlier as his extraordinary double save foiled Joshua Sargent and Ludwig Augustinsson from point-blank range. The opportunity, however, only arose following exceptional work by Milot Rashica who did well to deliver a telling cross that caused a commotion in the Bayern box.

Eggestein’s goal was down to the upper body strength and vision of the lively Sargent who shook off the attentions of Javi Martinez before supplying a pinpoint cross to the midfielder who simply steered past Neuer and in at the far post. As expected, Bayern stirred from hibernation and were back on level terms in the 62nd minute through French international, Kingsley Coman.

It was a simple goal as Leon Goretzka whipped in a precise cross which the unmarked Coman met with a thumping header from close range with the Bremen goalkeeper, Jiri Pavlenka left with little chance. The result left Bayern league leadders despite the two dropped points with 19 points from eight matches.

Elsewhere, 2020 Golden Boy award winner, Erling Braut Haaland produced an extraordinary performance as he netted four times to inspire Borussia Dortmund to a 5-2 victory over Hertha Berlin at Olympiastadion.  The win was enough to take Dortmund up to second in the standings with 18 points from eight matches.

Haaland wasn’t the only stand out individual performer of the weekend. Mainz 05 attacker Jean-Philippe Mateta netted a hattrick to help Die Nullfünfer defeat Freiburg 3-1 at Schwarzwald-Stadion on Sunday. The win was enough to lift Mainz out of the relegation zone as FC Köln lost 1-2 to Union Berlin at RheinEnergieSTADION in Sunday’s late game.

Bayer Leverkusen are up to third after Leon Bailey and Aleksandar Dragovic both scored to aid Die Werkself claim a 2-1 win at Arminia Bielefeld. RasenBallsport Leipzig currently occupy the fourth and final UEFA Champions League spot after drawing 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt. Aymen Barkok opened the scoring for the hosts at Deutsche Bank Park but Leipzig hit back through Yussuf Poulsen three minutes before the hour mark.

Results
Saturday
Arminia Bielefeld 1 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen  
Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Werder Bremen  
Borussia Moenchengladbach 1 – 1 Augsburg  
Hoffenheim 3 – 3 VfB Stuttgart  
Schalke 04 0 – 2 Wolfsburg
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 1 RasenBallsport Leipzig  
Hertha Berlin 2 – 5 Borussia Dortmund  

Sunday
Freiburg 1 – 3 Mainz 05  
FC Köln 1 – 2 Union Berlin

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