04/04/26 11:08:00
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04/04 11:06 CDT Bayern youngsters deliver rousing comeback win to stay on
course for Bundesliga title
Bayern youngsters deliver rousing comeback win to stay on course for Bundesliga
title
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
AP Sports Writer
Lennart Karl scored in the ninth minute of added time to complete a dramatic
comeback 3-2 win for Bayern Munich over Freiburg and keep his team on track for
the Bundesliga title on Saturday.
Freiburg was heading for an upset win at 2-0 up in the 81st minute before
Bayern's young midfielders changed the game, 20-year-old Tom Bischof scoring
twice with low shots from distance and 18-year-old Karl slotting in a low cross
from Alphonso Davies to turn the game on its head.
Harry Kane was out with an ankle issue ahead of next week's Champions League
quarterfinal against Real Madrid and Nicolas Jackson was suspended so Serge
Gnabry was tasked with leading the Bayern attack but made little headway.
Bayern's defense was at fault for Freiburg's opening goal, giving Johan
Manzambi plenty of space to cut in from the left flank and line up a powerful
shot past Manuel Neuer.
Back in the team after injury, Neuer made strong saves in the first half but
blundered for Freiburg's second, leaping out of his goal to palm a corner
straight to Freiburg striker Lucas Hler for an easy second.
Michael Olise missed a huge chance for Bayern but it was Bischof who made the
breakthrough, scoring once from outside the area in the 81st, then again in
added time as Freiburg was caught out by Bayern's quick corner routine. Davies'
assist for Karl's winner marked an encouraging return from a hamstring injury
for the Canada left back ahead of the World Cup.
Leverkusen wins thriller
Bayer Leverkusen surged back from 3-1 down to beat Wolfsburg 6-3 in an
action-packed game which pushed relegation-threatened Wolfsburg closer to
ending its 29-year stay in the top division.
Leverkusen's Spanish wing back Alejandro Grimaldo scored twice to move to 14
goals for the season in all competitions as he competes for a World Cup spot.
Patrick Schick, Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Malik Tillman also scored for
Leverkusen.
Tapsoba's goal marked redemption after he'd conceded a penalty which allowed
Christian Eriksen to score Wolfsburg's third, but the Leverkusen defender
wasn't the only one to achieve that feat. Wolfsburg defender Joakim Maehle
scored with a low drive in the 31st barely 10 seconds after the kickoff
following a penalty conceded for his own foul.
Leverkusen stayed sixth and remained firmly in the Champions League race.
Wolfsburg was 17th in the 18-team league and winless since January.
Leipzig boosts CL push
Antonio Nusa and Romulo made the most of Leipzig's few chances in a 2-0 win
over Werder Bremen to stay on target for a return to the Champions League in
fourth.
Leipzig got another boost as fifth-placed Hoffenheim was upset by Mainz 2-1.
Union Berlin and Augsburg drew 1-1 and Franck Honorat's goal rescued a 2-2 draw
for Borussia Moenchengladbach against last-placed Heidenheim.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund played third-placed Stuttgart later Saturday.
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