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Bayern and Leverkusen score late goals in dramatic 2-2 draw

Published September 16,2023
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Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen scored late goals in a dramatic 2-2 draw on Friday that secured Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga table after a controversial penalty.

Both sides entered the pitch as the only two teams to have won their first three league games this season, but had to share a point after a very disputed match.

Harry Kane scored Bayern's opener in the seventh minute, before Alejandro Grimaldo got the equalizer for Leverkusen in the 24th.

It was a hectic game, but the ball only found the net again when Leon Goretzka thought he got the winner for Bayern in the 86th, but a stoppage-time penalty for Leverkusen meant the German champions would have to settle for the draw.

"For us on the pitch, it was a very intense game, for the spectators, a great Friday evening. I think both teams fulfilled the expectations," Leverkusen midfielder Jonas Hofmann told broadcasters DAZN.

Bayern midfielder Thomas Müller, however, was not so positive as Hofmann and stressed that the referee gave "a very, very soft penalty" for Leverkusen.

"When there are penalties for something like that, then we will still see a few more penalties this season," he said.

Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said it was "a tricky decision against us" and also called the penalty "very soft."

"When you see the footage, there's clearly contact, but he (the referee) didn't want to give it, we should not forget about that. For me that was not enough, very soft," Tuchel said.

Referee Daniel Schlager told DAZN that he was going to let the game continue after the duel between Alphonso Davies and Hofmann. He was then warned by the video assistant referee that it was a penalty and decided to give it after watching the play on the pitchside monitor.

Kane broke the deadlock for the Bavarians after Leroy Sané flicked the ball at the near post and he was unmarked to head it home.

But Leverkusen started to become more dangerous and eventually levelled with Grimaldo, who found the top corner of the goal in a stunning free-kick.

Victor Boniface thought Leverkusen were ahead in the 33rd but his goal was ruled out for offside. Bayern then had a double chance with Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry in 35th, before Lukas Hradecky denied Sané with his fingertips.

Bayern keeper Sven Ulreich made a huge save with his foot to deny Jeremie Frimpong from close range in the 55th, while Hradecky did the same to deny Kane on the other side.

Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz hit the post in the 78th, while Jamal Musiala asked for a penalty after he fell inside the box in the 79th in a close dispute with Edmond Tapsoba.

Hradecky couldn't do anything to stop Goretzka's furious first-time finish in the 86th after a great play from Mathys Tel and that was supposed to be Bayern's winner, but Leverkusen got their chance to respond when the referee awarded them a penalty in stoppage time for a foul from Davies on Hofmann.

"No doubt that was a penalty," Hofmann said.

Ulreich went the right way, but Exequiel Palacios' spot-kick was still able to find the net.

There was still time for Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano to fire it home, but he was offside.

"It always hurts when you concede a goal so late. Considering the course of the game, that was maybe not deserved," Bayern's Konrad Laimer said.

Bayern and Leverkusen have both 10 points, but Leverkusen have a better goal difference.

Saturday games include Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg v Union Berlin.