Tags
Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Raffael (left) celebrates his goal with teammates during their Bundesliga match against Bayern Munich in Munich. (Reuters)
DPA/Berlin
Raffael got both goals and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer blundered as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich crashed 2-0 against Borussia Moenchengladbach for their first home defeat of the season.
Neuer let a drop volley from Raffael slip through his fingers in the 30th, and Raffael wrapped up matters in the 72nd against a harmless Bayern team that failed to create a single serious chance.
History repeated itself as Neuer had also made a mistake when Moenchengladbach last won in Munich in the 2011-12 season-opener. Bayern suffered their second season defeat, the first in late January 4-1 at second-placed Wolfsburg, and lost for the first time at home since late in the past season, 3-0 against Dortmund when they had a lready wrapped up the title.
But Munich still command the standings with 64 points, 10 ahead of Wolfsburg who drew 1-1 at 14th-placed Mainz in the other yesterday’s game. Moenchengladbach underlined their Champions League ambitions in third with 47 points, and Leverkusen have 45. Munich dominated possession against Moenchengladbach but created no danger. To make things worse winger Arjen Robben had to leave in the 24th with what appeared to be a lower back injury, as Thomas Mueller took his place.
Moenchengladbach took the lead on the half hour mark. Patrick Herrmann crossed from the right wing for Raffael at the edge of the area, the Brazilians’ low drop volley went straight at Neuer but the Germany goalkeeper let it slip through his hands across the line.
Bastian Schwinsteiger had only a minor chance before the break and Munich failed to improve after intermission against well-organized visitors who were lurking for counters.
They were almost successful in the 70th as Neuer barely managed to deflect Andre Hahn’s tight-angle blast against the post from where it went back into play.
The next counterattack came two minutes later and this time around Raffael fired home from 10m off Chrisoph Kramer with Neuer not fully convincing again.
Results
Mainz 05 1 (Bungert 7) VfL Wolfsburg 1 (Luiz Gustavo 61)
Bayern Munich 0 Borussia
Moenchengladbach 2 (Raffael 30, 77)
There are no comments.
SPORT Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
TECHNOLOGY Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
CULTURE Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
ARABIA The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
ARABIA Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
ARABIA The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
ECONOMY Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.
