Bayern Munich’s chances of retaining the Bundesliga title suffered another setback as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Freiburg on Friday night. The visitors looked set to claim a vital victory after goals from Mathys Tel and Jamal Musiala, but Freiburg striker Lucas Hoeler had other ideas and scored a stunning volley in the 87th minute to snatch a point for the hosts.
Freiburg stun Bayern with early goal
The game started with a bang as Freiburg captain Christian Guenter gave his team the lead in the 12th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the box. The goal came after a series of saves from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, who denied Roland Sallai twice in quick succession. The Hungarian forward then hit the post with an acrobatic bicycle kick before Guenter pounced on the rebound.
Freiburg continued to press Bayern and created several more chances to extend their lead. Sallai, Hoeler and Vincenzo Grifo all tested Neuer, who was the only reason Bayern stayed in the game. The visitors looked shaky and disorganized at the back, while their attack lacked creativity and cohesion.
Tel and Musiala turn the game around for Bayern
Bayern finally found a way back into the game in the 35th minute, when Tel unleashed a rocket from 25 yards that flew past Freiburg keeper Mark Flekken and into the top corner. It was the Swiss midfielder’s first goal for Bayern since joining from Basel in January.
The goal gave Bayern some confidence and they improved after the break. They took the lead in the 75th minute, when Musiala showed his talent and potential with a brilliant solo run and finish. The 18-year-old England international dribbled past three defenders and curled a low shot into the far corner, leaving Flekken helpless.
It seemed like Bayern had done enough to secure a crucial win, but Freiburg had other plans.
Hoeler denies Bayern with late equaliser
Freiburg did not give up and kept pushing for an equaliser. They were rewarded in the 87th minute, when Hoeler scored one of the goals of the season. The 27-year-old controlled a long ball from Grifo with his chest, turned and volleyed it past Neuer from the edge of the box. It was a stunning strike that left the Bayern players and fans in disbelief.
The goal meant that Bayern dropped two more points in the title race, while Freiburg celebrated a memorable result. The draw left Bayern seven points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who have a game in hand and can extend their lead to 10 points with a win over Cologne on Sunday. Freiburg, meanwhile, moved up to ninth place and extended their unbeaten run to eight games.
