Bayern and Leverkusen share spoils in Bundesliga blockbuster
As the division’s two top-scoring sides going into the round, none of the Oktoberfest-celebrating fans at the Allianz Arena were at all surprised as they each wasted no time in venturing forward.
It was Bayern who had the best of the chances though, with Jamal Musiala sending a bouncing shot inches wide of the post before Michael Olise’s free-kick dropped onto the roof of the net.
The hosts increasingly dominated both possession and chances as the half wore on, but they were nevertheless left stunned on the half-hour mark as the title holders found the net with their first shot on goal.
Granit Xhaka was found in space on the edge of the area by Alex Grimaldo, and the skipper squared it to Robert Andrich, who lashed a powerful strike through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom corner.
Having previously scored in every half of Kompany’s short tenure, it was only a matter of time before Bayern restored parity, and they did so before the break in even more spectacular fashion than the opener.
Young midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic gathered up a weak clearance 30 yards from goal and unleashed a stunning, looping volley which faded devastatingly into Lukas Hradecky’s top corner.
That was no more than Bayern had deserved, and they almost completed the turnaround just after the restart through Serge Gnabry, who first volleyed Harry Kane’s cross onto the post before astonishingly smashing against the bar on the rebound.
Hradecky then made himself big to deny Olise a third goal in two games, while both Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies curled wide from the edge of the area.
Other than a saved Nathan Tella effort late on, Leverkusen had been almost totally ineffective in attack in the second half, and chances also dwindled for the hosts as the points were shared at the final whistle.
The result means Bayern remain three points ahead of their opponents as they look to recapture the Bundesliga title after Leverkusen ended their 11-year hold on the Meisterschale.
Xabi Alonso, meanwhile, will take comfort from the fact that Die Werkself went on to lift that trophy after his side also drew this matchup last season, and fans will eagerly anticipate what could be a pivotal reverse fixture in February.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich)
