Dutch teenager Joshua Zirkzee marked his Bundesliga debut for Bayern Munich by scoring a crucial goal in stoppage time to help secure a 3-1 win over Freiburg on Wednesday.
Bayern was heading for a 1-1 draw and more dropped points before Zirkzee hit the ball between Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken's legs. Serge Gnabry made it 3-1 in the final seconds.
It was Zirkzee's first touch of the ball since coming off the bench. Before Wednesday, the 18-year-old's only appearance for Bayern's first team had been four minutes as a substitute in the Champions League.
Moenchengladbach's Alassane Plea, right, celebrates after he scored the opening goal against Paderborn's goalkeeper Leopold Zingerle, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and SC Paderborn in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner)
The win put Bayern up to third, four points behind German league leader Leipzig and second-place Borussia Mönchengladbach, which beat Paderborn 2-0 on Wednesday.
Robert Lewandowski gave Bayern the lead with his 19th goal in 16 Bundesliga games this season, but Freiburg equalized through Vincenzo Grifo. That goal came in the 59th minute when Bayern's right back Joshua Kimmich came in toward the center and left space open for Grifo to sneak in at the far post.
The scoreline flattered Bayern which was often troubled by Freiburg's pace on the counter. The German champion has conceded in all of its last five games, something which may be a factor when club management decides whether to keep interim coach Hansi Flick.
Paderborn's Sebastian Schonlau, left, fouls Moenchengladbach's Patrick Herrmann, followed by a video referee decision to give a penalty during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and SC Paderborn in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner)
GLADBACH'S BACK
Gladbach needed to react after losing to Wolfsburg on Sunday, but that didn't seem to sink in until halftime. Then it clicked.
Alassane Plea scored just 13 seconds into the second half to give Gladbach the lead against last-place Paderborn, and captain Lars Stindl added a second from the penalty spot soon after.
Moenchengladbach's Lars Stindl is celebrated after he scored a penalty during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and SC Paderborn in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner)
It was a much-needed win for Gladbach after last week's loss to Wolfsburg and exit from the Europa League at the hands of Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
LEVERKUSEN SLUMPS
Last week, Bayer Leverkusen was the Bundesliga's comeback team. Now it's firmly back in a slump.
Leverkusen had more than 70 percent possession but still lost 1-0 to Hertha Berlin on Wednesday, its third loss in eight days in all competitions. Star midfielder Kai Havertz was jeered by some Leverkusen fans when he was substituted. He hasn't scored or assisted a goal since September.
Karim Rekik scored the only goal of the game to give Hertha its second straight win under new coach Jürgen Klinsmann.
The defeats to Hertha and to Cologne on Saturday — both struggling teams that Leverkusen was expected to beat — have dropped Leverkusen out of the fight for Champions League places and down to seventh.
“Today we didn't have any ideas in a lot of places,” Leverkusen forward Kevin Volland said. “We have to come back out of these difficult phases together again.”
Schalke dropped behind Bayern to fourth after drawing 1-1 with Wolfsburg and missing a chance to close the gap to Leipzig.
Cologne produced the comeback of the day from two goals down to beat Frankfurt 4-2 and climb out of the relegation zone to 13th. Cologne has its first back-to-back wins since returning to the Bundesliga this season.
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
