Bayern concede late equaliser in 2-2 draw with Freiburg

FREIBURG, Germany: Freiburg’s Lucas Hoeler scored an 87th-minute equaliser on Friday to snatch a 2-2 against visitors Bayern Munich, whose Bundesliga title hopes suffered a further blow.

The result left champions Bayern, who have 54 points from 24 league matches, seven behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who have 61 and can pull further away with a win over Cologne on Sunday.

Bayern, preparing to host Italy’s Lazio in their Champions League last 16 second leg next week, suffered a nightmare start to their record 2,000th Bundesliga game with the hosts finding spaces to attack.

The Bavarians had keeper Manuel Neuer to thank for keeping them in the game with a string of outstanding saves early in the first half.

“We played completely without structure (in the first half),” said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. “We were not disciplined. We were not in our positions, we lost possession going forward and allowed them to counterattack.

“It was very clear that we wanted to play here with a different level of determination but we only started doing that after conceding a goal. But one good half is not good enough to win here.

“It wasn’t a matter of will, we played recklessly for the first half hour.”

Freiburg took their chances against a crisis-hit Bayern, who will part ways with Tuchel at the end of the season, and were rewarded with a 12th minute lead.

Neuer first spectacularly palmed a Roland Sallai header away, then saw the Hungarian’s rebound bicycle kick bounce off the post before Christian Guenter rifled in.

The hosts had half a dozen chances to score again in a strong half hour before Bayern hit against the run of play with an unstoppable long-range shot from Mathys Tel in the 35th. The visitors looked sharper after the break and came close with Jamal Musiala and Harry Kane before the former launched a solo run down the left, cut into the box and curled a low shot past the Freiburg keeper to compete their comeback.

Freiburg, however, struck in the 87th with Hoeler bagging the late equaliser after a fine turn and shot in the box. Bayern have now managed just one win from their last four league games.