Leaders Bayern survive late Kiel fightback to go nine points clear

Leaders Bayern survive late Kiel fightback to go nine points clear

BeSoccer 1 day ago 202 |

Reading time: minutes

Bayern stretched their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to nine points. AFP

Bayern Munich stretched their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to nine points on Saturday with an extraordinary 4-3 victory over Holstein Kiel.

Bayern led 4-0 as Harry Kane scored twice, but Finn Porath replied for Kiel before Steven Skrzybski's stoppage-time double threatened to steal an unlikely point. The full-time whistle was met with relief around the Allianz Arena.

"None of us are happy that we won 4-3 here," Jamal Musiala, scorer of Bayern's first goal, told Sky Sport. "We have to have the mentality to work for 90 minutes and avoid conceding goals."

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was also irritated with the manner in which his team ended the game."It was a pretty complete game until the 80th minute. But we also played against a team that was fighting for every moment," Kompany told reporters.

"I thought we started the second half really well, but in terms of how we finished the game, that's something we'll have to review with the players." With Bayern's closest title rivals, Bayer Leverkusen, hosting Hoffenheim on Sunday, Kompany's side took their chance to create a gulf between them and the champions.

The Bavarians went ahead in the 19th minute when Musiala finished a beautiful team goal that involved a quick interchange of passes between Joshua Kimmich, Michael Olise and then Musiala, who steered in his 10th league goal of the season.

Kiel had almost made it to half-time just a goal behind but with less than a minute of stoppage time to go, Bayern struck a killer blow. Kingsley Coman beat his man on the left and lofted a cross onto the head of Kane, who couldn't miss from close range. Kane scored another in the first minute of the second half, heading home Raphael Guerreiro's pinpoint cross.

It was Kane's 55th league goal in 50 appearances, another Bundesliga goalscoring record that Kane has rewritten. Serge Gnabry, a half-time replacement for Olise, joined the party with a fine goal, bringing a high ball under his spell with his right foot and volleying in with his left.

Kiel struck back with a beautifully-executed strike by Porath which seemed little more than a consolation, even after the fourth official indicated five additional minutes. Skrzybski's late brace nearly embarrassed Bayern but the hosts limped over the line as wounded victors.

February 2, 2025