Nine-man Bayern come from behind to rescue 1-1 draw at Leverkusen

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich had two players sent off and two ⁠goals disallowed but came back from ⁠a goal down to snatch a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Bayern have 67 points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who closed the gap to nine after a ⁠2-0 home victory over Augsburg, with eight games remaining. The Bavarians, fresh from Tuesday's 6-1 demolition of Atalanta in the Champions League last 16, had Nicolas Jackson sent off for a wild tackle before the break. Forward Luis Diaz, who scored a 69th-minute equaliser, joined him on the sidelines after a second booking for diving. The hosts made a perfect start when Garcia fired them into the lead as Bayern, with top scorer Harry Kane on the bench, failed to ⁠settle.

They ⁠put the ball in the net through Jonathan Tah but the effort was disallowed following a VAR review for hand ball. It got worse three minutes from halftime when Jackson was dismissed for his reckless tackle on Martin Terrier.

Malik Tillman should have added another for Leverkusen when he was sent through with a clever Patrik Schick backheel but the U.S. international fired wide with only Bayern keeper ⁠Sven Ulreich to beat. Bayern's third-choice keeper, making a rare appearance due to injuries to Manuel Neuer and Jonas Urbig, also denied Schick in a one-on-one. Kane, back after missing two matches with a muscle injury, challenged keeper Janis Blaswich and tapped in from close range a minute after coming on, only for the goal to be disallowed for handball ⁠by the ‌England ‌captain. Diaz did better, slotting in after a defensive ⁠blunder from Robert Andrich and Michael ‌Olise's record-breaking 17th assist of the season, to level but he got his marching orders six minutes from time ⁠for a spectacular dive in the box. There was ⁠more late drama when the hosts thought they had won it ⁠in stoppage time through substitute Jonas Hofmann's close-range effort but a VAR review showed a narrow offside position.