Bayern Munich loses 1-0 to Werder Bremen to slip off the pace in the Bundesliga title race

Sun, Jan 21, 2024
Soccer News (AP)

MUNICH (AP) - Former Bayern Munich player Mitchell Weiser scored the only goal as Werder Bremen stunned Bayern 1-0 on Sunday to dent Bayern's chances of catching Bundesliga leader Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern had not lost to Bremen since 2008, and it was only the German champion's third loss this season in any competition.

Bremen repeatedly tested Bayern on the counter in the first half - and had a goal for Justin Njinmah ruled out for an earlier foul - while Bayern made little progress getting through the compact Bremen defense.

Weiser - who previously played for both Leverkusen and Bayern - gave Bremen the lead in the 59th minute with a moment of individual skill as he beat left-back Alphonso Davies out wide, cut inside and blasted a shot past Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal.

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Bayern had the Bremen goal under siege after that and came close to scoring with a Mathys Tel header that bounced off goalkeeper Michael Zetterer, against the post, back onto Zetterer and into the post again before Bremen could clear.

Tel dragged another shot just wide of the far post in the final seconds of stoppage time.

Bayern's loss means it stays second, seven points behind Leverkusen, which beat Leipzig 3-2 on Saturday. Bayern has one extra game to play against struggling Union Berlin on Wednesday. That was rescheduled from last month because of snow.

It was Bayern's first loss since a shock 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Dec. 9, and Bremen's first win since beating Augsburg the same day.

Bayern was playing for the first time in nine days, a spell of rest Thomas Tuchel's team had used for a mid-season training camp in Portugal, before attending Friday's memorial service for Franz Beckenbauer.

Harry Kane failed to add to his 22 goals in the Bundesliga so far this season. It was only his fourth league game of the season without a goal since joining Bayern.

Borussia Moenchengladbach plays Augsburg later Sunday.

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