Bayern, Hoffenheim win in German Bundesliga
Berlin May 14 (IANS) Bayern Munich bounced back to defeat RB Leipzig 5-4 in an away tie while Hoffenheim beat Werder Bremen 5-3 in their Bundesliga football matches.
League leaders Bayern Munich turned the tide in a nine-goal thriller to flabbergast hosts Leipzig on Saturday evening reports Xinhua news agency.
Leipzig broke the deadlock just two minutes into the encounter. The newcomers to the German top division took the lead when Emil Forsberg s cross to the far post found Marcel Sabitzer who nodded home.
Bayern wobbled but recovered with 17 minutes into the game when Robert Lewandowski converted penalty to restore parity.
Leipzig continued to attack and regained the lead through Timo Werner who slotted home a penalty after Xabi Alonso brought down Emil Forsberg inside the penalty box in the 29th minute.
After the restart the hosts started where they left off as Yussuf Poulsen completed a counter-attack and hammered home from 17 metres to make it 3-1.
Bayern responded at the hour mark when Thiago Alcantara pulled one back.
Nevertheless Leipzig maintained their momentum and shocked the visitors again as Werner restored the two-goal lead after nutmegging Bayern goalkeeper Tom Starke from a sharp angle with 65 minutes played.
The match appeared to be over as Leipzig always had a response to Bayern s goals. However things changed in the closing period as Bayern turned up the heat thanks to Lewandowski and David Alaba who levelled the score.
Carlo Ancelotti s men were not done with the scoring and shocked the hosts with the injury-time winner through Arjen Robben who completed a solo run to overcome Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi in the dying minutes of the game.
With this result the newly crowned Bundesliga champions reaped their 24th win of the season while Leipzig s seven-game unbeaten streak came to an end.
Meanwhile fourth placed Hoffenheim reduced the arrears to third placed Borussia Dortmund and their direct UEFA Champions League spot as they defeated Werder Bremen 5-3.
The TSG showed no mercy with Bremen who were unable to gain a foothold in the first half. Hence Hoffenheim established a three-goal advantage within 45 minutes.
Adam Szalai opened the scoring early in the encounter before Andrej Kramaric and Steven Zuber smoothed the way for the win.
Even after the break the Green-Whites were unable to put up resistance allowing Hoffenheim to extend their lead by courtesy on goals from Kramaric and Ermin Bicakcic to 5-0.
Bremen reduced the margin with 59 minutes played when Theodor Gebre Selassie headed home the consolation.
The hosts gained momentum and scored two more goals through Philipp Bargfrede and Robert Bauer. But their comeback came too late.
With this win Hoffenheim are now equal on points with third placed Dortmund whereas Bremen stay on the eighth place in the standings.
Elsewhere Bayer Leverkusen equalised a two-goal deficit to share the spoils with FC Cologne who suffered a setback in the hunt for a berth in Europe.
Hertha Berlin on the other hand wrapped up three important points by beating last placed SV Darmstadt 98 2-0.
FC Ingolstadt 04 will be the second team after Darmstadt to be relegated as they were held to a 1-1 draw by SC Freiburg.
Relegation threatened Hamburg maintain their chances to remain in Germany s top flight as Pierre-Michel Lasogga s equaliser secured them a 1-1 draw and a crucial point against FC Schalke 04.
FC Augsburg reaped vital points for their relegation battle as they held third placed Borussia Dortmund 1-1.
FSV Mainz 05 increased their chances to remain in the first division after they came from behind to edge out Eintracht Frankfurt 4-2 and VFL Wolfsburg played out a 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach.
--IANS
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