Bayern clinch Bundesliga title with last-gasp goal on dramatic final day
Bayern Munich snatched its 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in dramatic fashion with a final day 2-1 win at Cologne on Saturday courtesy of Jamal Musiala's 89th minute goal, grabbing the trophy from the hands of rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund went into the last game of the season inthe top spot but stumbled to a 2-2 draw against visitors Mainz 05, allowing Bayern to squeeze past them in the tightest league race in years.
In a climactic season finale, Bayern was celebrating what ended up being an unexpected title win while Dortmund's dream of their first league trophy since 2012 were left in tatters when they were trailing 2-0 to Mainz early on before battling to a 2-2 draw - but they needed victory to become champions.
Bayern finished on 71 points, ahead on goal difference from Dortmund. RB Leipzig and sensational Union Berlin are third and fourth respectively and will also compete in the Champions League next season.
Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 were relegated, while VFB Stuttgart will go into the relegation playoff.
While the title win rescues some silverware in what has been a frustrating season for Bayern, several major German media reported shortly after the final whistle that club CEO Oliver Kahn, who was not in Cologne, and sports director Hasan Salihamdizic would leave the club.
The surprise sacking of Julian
Nagelsmann in late March and the arrival of Thomas Tuchel was not coupled with success with the team crashing out of the German Cup and the Champions League last eight. The Bayern board is due to meet on May 30.
The Bavarians needed a win and Kingsley Coman settled their nerves early on, putting them into the lead with a superbly curled shot into the top corner.
With Dortmund behind from the first half, the Bavarians knew they were now in front and controlled the first half without risking too much.
Leroy Sane did slot in just before the break but his effort did not count following a VAR review for handball.
With Bayern club bosses, including Salihamidzic, nervously checking their mobile phones for the score in Dortmund, Cologne earned a 80th minute penalty and Dejan Ljubicic sent the keeper the wrong way to level.
Sane thought he had missed the chance to hand his team the title when he failed to beat the Cologne keeper in the 88th but Musiala did it perfectly a minute later, curling a low drive into the far post in the rollercoaster season ending.
A parade had been planned in Dortmund to be attended by up to 250,000 people.
Dortmund may not get a better chance in a while to end Bayern's title run. No team has won the German title with a points title as low as Bayern's 71 in the last 13 years. — reuters