Kimmich salvages point for Bayern with a late strike; Leipzig thrash Schalke 6-1
JOSHUA Kimmich scored a late goal to save Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from a defeat and secure a 1-1 draw with Cologne, while Andr Silva’s brace led second-placed RB Leipzig to their first win of the year with a 6-1 thrashing of Schalke on Tuesday.
Wolfsburg, meanwhile, scored at least five goals for a second consecutive game as they wrecked Hertha Berlin 5-0.
Cologne needed only four minutes to take the lead at the Allianz Arena, as Ellyes Skhiri broke the deadlock after Julian Chabot’s header turned into an assist.
Serge Gnabry from close range in the 14th had the best chance for the Bavarians in the first half, but his effort was saved by keeper Marvin Schw be.
Schw be also saved a powerful shot from Benjamin Pavard in the 44th, and Leon Goretzka wasted the rebound with a weak header.
Bayern were offensively poor throughout the game, but managed to find the equaliser in the 90th minute as Kimmich picked up a pass from Dayot Upamecano and unleashed an unstoppable striker. “(The equaliser) It’s annoying because of the timing, but it’s OK. We go home satisfied with the point,” Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart said.
Leipzig also played out a 1-1 draw with leaders Bayern Munich last week as the Bundesliga returned following the winter and World Cup break. But against Schalke, they set the tone early on.
Silva broke the deadlock in the seventh minute with a fierce strike from just outside the area and Benjamin Henrichs added a second some 10 minutes later, before the Portuguese striker completed his brace in the 44th.
The guests concluded the first half with a goal from Timo Werner, his first since returning from a ankle injury that
ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar.
Schalke pulled one back in the 56th thanks to Soichiro Kozuki, but the reaction came too late after a very poor first half. Leipzig, meanwhile, crowned their performance with a stunner from Dani Olmo in the 83rd and a lovely strike from Yussuf Poulsen in the 89th.
“It was a big result and I wish Reisi (Schalke coach Thomas Reis) all the best for the rest of the season. There is still a lot there for Schalke,” Leipzig coach Marco Rose said about the opponents, who sit bottom of the table.
Werner said “it felt really good to start a game again. I’m pleased that I’m playing again and celebrating the wins with the team again.”
Wolfsburg also scored early
on with Mattias Svanberg on their way to demolish Hertha 5-0, following a superb 6-0 win over Freiburg at the weekend.
Maximilian Arnold from the spot in the 31st and Jonas Wind three minutes later secured a good lead before the break, while Ridle Baku and Omar Marmoush completed the scoring in the second half.
Elsewhere, Andrej Kramaric’s brace saved Hoffenheim a point in a 2-2 draw with Stuttgart. Serhou Guirassy cancelled Kramaric’s opener and Wataru Endo thought he claimed victory for Stuttgart in the 77th.
But Stuttgart were left with 10 men when Naouirou Ahamada saw a red card in the 78th. They could not fight the pressure and Kramaric again found the net in stoppage time.