Bayern - Werder 6-1
Bayern came out of the traps quickly and opened the scoring after just six minutes. Jamal Musiala scored his fourth goal in his last five home games for the Bavarians, as he received the ball inside the box and calmly shifted the ball onto his left foot before bending his shot into the bottom corner and beyond Jiří Pavlenka. Stunningly though, Bremen hit back with their first shot through Anthony Jung, as the wing back drilled home a low effort with his left foot, after some fantastic work by Former Bayern player Mitchell Weiser to find his teammate.
The hosts were handed a golden opportunity to retake the lead as they were awarded a penalty, following a VAR check after Serge Gnabry was fouled by an opposing defender. Eric Choupo-Moting stepped up but was unable to beat Pavlenka, as he comfortably saved his effort in the bottom left corner. But Bayern didn't allow the penalty miss to dampen their spirits and took the lead just five minutes later through Gnabry. The German international was on hand to coolly convert a rebound following another Pavlenka save from Leon Goretzka’s shot.
Goretzka had a goal of his own just a matter of minutes later, as the midfielder rounded the goalkeeper before prodding the ball into an empty net. Bayern were running rampant by now, and added another just before the half hour mark, when Gnabry added his second, after Leroy Sané rounded the goalkeeper before gifting his compatriot with a tap into an open goal. The home side did not slow down after the break, as Sané hit the outside of the post after breaking through the Bremen back four when attempting to place the ball in the far corner.
Gnabry completed his hat trick as the game was coming into the closing stages, after chasing down a through ball from Noussair Mazraoui before placing the ball in the bottom right corner of the goal. Bayern weren’t finished yet though, with 17-year old substitute Mathys Tel getting in on the action, firstly picking the ball up in midfield before driving at the Werder defence, and then firing a thunderous effort towards goal and beyond Pavlenka. Overall, it was just another night at the office for an immovable Bayern, who ended this clash four points clear at the Bundsliga’s summit.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Bochum - Monchengladbach 2-1
Cut adrift and in danger of heading into the World Cup break four points from safety in the Bundesliga, Bochum’s mission was to end their two-match losing streak and get their season back on track. The Blues’ urgency showed immediately from kick-off and they were rewarded with an early double. First, Antwi-Adjei sprung the offside trap, latched on to Simon Zoller’s through ball and curled past Jan Olschowsky before Mönchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi played a loose back pass that Philipp Hofmann intercepted and fired into the net from close range.
Mönchengladbach had aspirations of their own as they were expecting to keep pressure on the Bundesliga top six before the upcoming World Cup interval. But the form of a side that has yet to win away this season showed in the first half as the Foals offered little against well-drilled Bochum and the visitor's only sight of goal came when Ramy Bensebaini headed over from a corner kick.
Not content with just a two-goal buffer, Bochum took the game straight to Mönchengladbach after HT and nearly extended their lead when Cristian Gamboa was denied his first goal since February as his flicked header clipped the post. Ultimately, the Blues paid for their missed opportunity and Marcus Thuram tore through the Bochum defence, played in Alassane Pléa and the forward struck low past Manuel Riemann before Bensebaini was left unmarked in the area late on to header in Jonas Hofmann’s cross, only for the effort to be ruled out by VAR for offside.
The relief of the Vonovia Ruhrstadion was clear and the late scare forced Bochum to sit back and valiantly see out their lead, as the Blues move two points within safety in the Bundesliga. Mönchengladbach’s late rally was never going to be enough to overcome a terrible start in Bochum and the Foals are now winless in their last 10 Bundesliga away games.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Christopher Antwi-Adjei (Bochum)
Stuttgart - Hertha 2-1
It promised to be a tight encounter at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, as Die Roten and Die Alte Dame, who were level on 11 points at the bottom end of the table ahead of kick-off, battled to secure the spoils and steer themselves away from the Bundesliga trap door.
The hosts, who tasted defeat away at Borussia Mönchengladbach last time out under interim boss Michael Wimmer, got off to a flying start in the third minute, when Serhou Guirassy fired into the corner of the net to score his fourth league goal of the campaign. However, Stuttgart had not kept a clean sheet at home since April 2021 in the Bundesliga, and their torrid streak was extended further near the 20-minute mark, as Dodi Lukébakio got on the end of an inviting Jonjoe Kenny cross to pull Hertha Berlin level.
Stuttgart dominated possession before the interval as they sought to restore their lead, but it was Hertha who began to probe immediately after HT. The home side, however, soon got back into their rhythm, which resulted in Borna Sosa forcing a fine save from Oliver Christensen shortly before the hour mark. The visitors later saw Chidera Ejuke and Ivan Šunjić efforts thwarted, but Stuttgart looked more likely to snatch the victory, and they did so in the final minute of seven added on minutes. Borna Sosa swung in a dangerous corner, and Kostas Mavropanos directed a header beyond Christensen and in via the post.
The result moved Stuttgart up to 13th, as their campaign begins to move in the right direction following Pellegrino Matarazzo’s sacking last month. Meanwhile, in the opposing dugout, Sandro Schwarz will be feeling the pressure, as his team are now winless in three league games.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Borna Sosa (Vfb Stuttgart)
