BAYERN MUNICH’S DIFFICULT week continued as Hertha Berlin came from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw in a pulsating clash at the Olympiastadion.
Trailing 2-0 in the 49th minute, the home side turned the match around in the space of seven second-half minutes to dramatically deny Willy Sagnol a debut victory as Bayern boss.
Sagnol was installed on an interim basis following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti on Thursday and appeared on course to start his stewardship with three comfortable points.
Dropped for the 3-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain, the result that cost Ancelotti his job, Mats Hummels joined Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery in the champions’ starting XI and dispatched an early header to make it 1-0.
And when Robert Lewandowski added a second shortly after the restart, the visitors appeared set to put a dramatic few days behind them.
But Ondrej Duda and Salomon Kalou responded for Hertha in a chaotic spell to ensure Bayern stay five points off pacesetters Borussia Dortmund, with the injury to Ribery adding to the Bavarian giants’ growing list of problems.
Sagnol had no hesitation in recalling Ribery and Robben and the pair immediately linked up for the game’s opening chance, with the Frenchman nodding tamely from Robben’s clever cross.
Hummels was determined to prove a point of his own and should have done better when he headed Joshua Kimmich’s corner past the post.
The Germany defender made no mistake a second time around, though, as he expertly directed Jerome Boateng’s cross beyond an outstretched Rune Jarstein for a 1-0 lead.
Hummels’ opener arrived in just the 10th minute and the action remained relentless, with Hertha having a penalty overruled by the VAR after Javi Martinez was initially punished for a challenge on Vladimir Darida.
Bayern’s aerial dominance continued as Martinez whistled a header over the bar, before Lewandowski twice went close to doubling the advantage amid a near-constant stream of chances.
The striker first saw a dinked finish cleared off the line by a recovering Niklas Stark after the ball broke kindly in the area, before he next fired narrowly wide on the turn as Hertha somehow escaped to half-time with only a goal deficit.
Almost unthinkably, the end-to-end drama only intensified in the moments after the restart.
Lewandowski muscled his way to goal and beat Jarstein in a one-on-one to extend the visitors’ advantage, but their 2-0 lead lasted only two minutes as Genki Haraguchi splendidly weaved through a crowded penalty area and teed up Duda for a simple tap-in.
And it was 2-2 in the 56th minute, with Kalou firing home at close-range after Corentin Tolisso missed a chance to head away from a free-kick.
Sagnol’s mounting headaches grew when Ribery trod on the ball and hobbled off with what appeared to be a potentially long-term knee injury.
The stoppage in play for the winger to receive treatment served to halt Hertha’s momentum, enabling Bayern to stabilise and secure what proved to be a hard-earned point.
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Come on spurs. Destroy those deluded fools.
The irony.
Liverpool fans are the most deluded on this planet. Everyone knows that.
Yidds are in cookoo land
Coming from a United supporter still in denial
How are Spurs delusional? Ask City…
Spurs fans have been deluded since their Champions League dizziness.
Spurs on their day can beat any team in that league; consistency is the problem more so than delusion. The ability is there in droves.
Karol is 100% bang on. Liverpool fans think they are a title winning side that can still compete in the champions league. They’re a mid table club as best. Or as Carragher once said. “Liverpool are no longer a big club”.
Yeah a lot of fans are deluded, sure many united fans thought they were favourites to win the league a few weeks ago. Back where they belong? Hilarious.
Lads, does Ron know United are 3rd and 2 points off top?
Ron, City lodt 4-1 to spurs, a lesser side than Aresnal. Don’t write United off just yet
Ironic, so biased
All football fans are biased when it comes to the team they support, its human nature.
Carol and Loner are correct, they have accepted that Man U are average and have moved on.
Another few hundred million and the league cup is within your sights. The idea of a spurs fan calling Liverpool fans deluded is embarrassing for them
I’m not a Spurs fan.
How on earth are our 3 main strikers all injured?
Liverpool fans must be delighted with a manager actually playing Can and Lucas together in midfield.
Come on the pool !!!
And why is anyone even surprised that Daniel Sturridge is out injured, sick note head on him
He’s hardly making it up, and is fairly useful when he is fit.
Will take a draw
2-2 is 11/1 with PP
Jeasus he’s no-one up front to choose from .. Hope it goes well for him YNWA
For his first game he has a pitiful choice of players.
Come come now. The Liverpool squad is full of promising young players, it’s a bit harsh to be writing them off. I know for a fact if anyone of them played for United you’d have a different perspective. Biased, simple as…..
Come on Kloppo!
3-1 to the Pool!
YNWA
Wouldn’t get ahead of yourself there, I got a back lashing the last time I gave a prediction. It will a good game however.
You’re not calling him Kloppo already are you. Oh God.
Ah Chris is back!!!! I LOL with his prediction in the arsenal game how do you call it today Chris?
Alan B = Pathetic.
Not as pathetic as your predictions Christopher
Difference is Alan B, I can say I got it wrong and acknowledge it.
Where there is you, whom keeps sprouting crap on this site.
I can imagine Alan B having really greasy hair and needs glasses because of all the time he’s spent looking at a computer screen.
You do know the journal is available as an app on smartphones unknown you don’t have to log on to your computer to read it
What’s your prediction today Christopher?
Chris, I would have predicted this would turn into a slagging match.
3 – 1 Spurs with Kane 1st goalscorer
Make that 2-1 and I’d agree with you
What’s your prediction in the united game?
1-1 draw
Mine was 0-3 ! Was I close ….
I’ve had a bet with my Liverpool supporting nephew that whoever loses has to send the other a photo naked in a shopping center. Please win Spurs !!!
@Shakka
Could turn out to be the worst bet of your life.
Come on da Pool!
why do you want to see your nephew naked?
Are you his aunt or uncle. Too weird either way
Please tell me your nephew is over 18 at least.
I’d go into the jacks in one and send one from there. you should have been more specific
Or a changing room
Which shopping centre?
What was the plan in case of a draw?
Well, a patched up team, against a very good team that destroyed Man City…. Sorry to disappoint deluded Man U fans, but Liverpool have a manager who is going to reinvent this club, bring them back to where they belong….. Will take time, but it will happen.
Yeah shoring up the defense has to be the priority but Liverpool did get a few chances in the second half. Spurs were the better team but not by enough to deserve the win.
And having faith in some players….Sakho for example.
Sakho Sh!te