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| Marcus Thuram of Borussia Moenchengladbach celebrates after scoring his team's third goal with teammates during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Bayern München at Borussia-Park on February 18, 2023 in Moenchengladbach, Germany. |
Borussia Monchengladbach defeated 10-man Bayern Munich 3-2 to add more intrigue in the Bundesliga title race on Saturday.
Marcus Thuram scored late to seal the win after goals from Lars Stindl and Jonas Hofmann stretched Bayern’s winless run against Gladbach to five games across all competitions.
It was the fourth time in six league games this year that defending champion Bayern has dropped points and it means Union Berlin can take over the lead on Sunday by beating last-placed Schalke. Borussia Dortmund can move level on points with Bayern by beating visiting Hertha Berlin.
Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano was sent off in the eight minute and it struggled to get back in the game after Stindl scored, though Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting equalized in the 35th after a great run down the left from Alphonso Davies.
Substitute Mathys Tel added another in injury time for Bayern, also set up by Davies.
Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer was honored before the game for his 8 ½ years of service to Gladbach. The Swiss goalkeeper played a big role in ensuring Bayern was frustrated in its previous games against Gladbach before his switch between the teams last month.
Upamecano was sent off for bringing down Plea, who was through on goal. TV replays showed only minimal contact but it was enough for referee Tobias Welz and the video assistant Tobias Stieler.
Sommer saved Stindl’s effort from the resulting free kick, but couldn’t stop the Gladbach captain opening the scoring in the 13th. Hofmann played in a free kick from the right and Stindl met it with a low shot inside the right post.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann reacted to Upamecano’s sending off by sending on João Cancelo for Thomas Müller, who had been making his 429th Bundesliga appearance for Bayern, tying goalkeeper Oliver Kahn’s record for the club. Only Sepp Maier, with 473, has more.
Gladbach continued to dominate and Stindl missed another great chance shortly afterward.
Bayern showed great morale after Choupo-Moting equalized but Hofmann scored in the 55th after playing a one-two with Plea. Nagelsmann was furious as the chance came from a Bayern mistake.
Ramy Bensebaini struck the crossbar two minutes later for Gladbach, which sealed the win through Thuram, who was set up by Hofmann in the 84th.
Also, Leipzig defeated Wolfsburg 3-0 away. Christopher Nkunku came on as a substitute to return from injury for Leipzig.
Stuttgart defeated Cologne 3-0 to climb out of the relegation zone at the expense of Bochum, which lost at home to Freiburg 2-0.
Eintracfht Frankfurt hosted Werder Bremen late.
