From: apa
Bayern Munich started the new year in the German Bundesliga with a 1-0 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The decision came with a penalty goal from Harry Kane (68th). Bayern continue to lead the table by four points ahead of defending champions Bayer Leverkusen. Ralph Hasenhüttl won the duel between the two Austrian coaches. His VfL Wolfsburg landed a 1-0 away win at Christian Ilzer’s struggling TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Leverkusen had already won 3-2 in Dortmund on Friday. Bayern improved on goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s comeback after he broke his ribs. The Munich team had significantly more of the game and dangerous scenes, but needed a hard penalty whistle to leave the pitch as winners. Kane safely converted after a dubious touch from Lukas Ullrich on Michael Olise.
ÖFB team player Konrad Laimer played on the right side of the back four for the winners, while his compatriots Kevin Stöger (from 62nd) and Stefan Lainer (from 82nd) came on as substitutes on the opposite side. Before that, Bayern had only won one of the last six competitive games in Mönchengladbach. This curse seems to have finally ended after the 2-1 win last season. One lap before the end of the first half of the season, the Munich team can no longer be pushed out of the lead.
Ilzer at Hoffenheim with a poor record
The decisive goal for Wolfsburg was scored by Mohammed Amoura with a header from a corner (29th) after he had evaded Alexander Prass. The former Sturm Graz professional played through and missed a great chance to equalize in the 79th minute. His ÖFB teammate Patrick Wimmer came onto the pitch on the other side in the 63rd minute.
-When Ilzer took office last November, he managed a 4-3 win against Leipzig, followed by five defeats and three draws. In the DFB Cup at the beginning of December, Hoffenheim suffered a 3-0 defeat against Wolfsburg, for whom Saturday’s win meant their first three-pointer after two recent defeats.
Freiburg wins without Lienhart, Mwene with an assist
In Freiburg’s 3-2 home win over Kiel, the winners had to make do without the ill Philipp Lienhart; compatriot Michael Gregoritsch came on as a substitute in the 69th minute. Phillipp Mwene prepared the hosts’ second goal in an exemplary manner in Mainz’s 2-0 win in front of their own crowd against Bochum. Heidenheim defeated Union Berlin 2-0 thanks, among other things, to a goal from ex-Austrian Frans Krätzig. Christopher Trimmel played through the premiere of the new Union coach Steffen Baumgart, Leopold Querfeld sat on the substitutes’ bench.
Third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt beat FC St. Pauli (David Nemeth up to 86th) 1-0 in Hamburg. The golden goal went to Omar Marmoush (32nd), who is said to be about to move to Manchester City.
