Bayern drop first points of season

Bayern drop first points of season

Bayern drop first points of season

European champions Bayern Munich, perhaps with one eye on Friday's Super Cup clash with Europa League-winners Chelsea, dropped their first points of the Bundesliga season in a 1-1 draw at Freiburg on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola's side were on course to maintain their perfect start to the season until conceding a late equaliser, and also suffered an injury blow when midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger came off with an ankle problem late on.

He is likely to miss the Chelsea game as well as Germany's upcoming World Cup qualifying double-header as a result.

Bayern still moved a point clear at the top of the table, although Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen can all leapfrog them should they win their game in hand this weekend.

Guardiola - who has introduced a new 4-1-4-1 system since coming in to replace Jupp Heynckes - made several changes to his line-up from the one that beat Nuremberg 2-0 on Saturday.

He had rung the changes, resting six of his first-choice side, leaving out wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, who both netted at the weekend.

Bayern dominated the game but, not for the first time, failed to convert a string of chances.

They got off to a promising start and showed their class when German international Thomas Mueller beat three defenders on the right and crossed to the far post where Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri drilled the ball home on 23 minutes.

Freiburg started to exert some second-half pressure, however, and were rewarded with the equaliser four minutes from time.

Substitute Mike Hanke switched play from the left to the right wing, where Sebastian Freis swung in a cross which midfielder Nicolas Hoefler fired past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from close range.


AFP

Source : http://www.football.co.uk/bayern_munich/bayern_drop_first_points_of_season_rss4383611.shtml