Bayer Leverkusen gamers have a good time their 2-1 win over Bayern Munich (AP Photo)
Bayer Leverkusen defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 courtesy of Exequiel Palacios’ brace as Borussia Dortmund proceed to lead Bundesliga standings
Argentina’s World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios struck twice from the spot as Bayer Leverkusen blew the Bundesliga title race extensive open with a shock 2-1 win over Bayern Munich on Sunday.
With a bit assist from VAR, Leverkusen got here from behind to hand coach Xabi Alonso a well-known win on his first reunion with former membership Bayern and hold the champions from regaining the highest spot.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m so pleased with the best way we performed at the moment,” said Alonso, who played for Bayern from 2014 to 2017.
Bayern are a point behind leaders Borussia Dortmund and the two sides are set to meet in the next round of games on April 1.
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“That is now a must-win game for us, because it will be very difficult to win the title otherwise,” mentioned Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann.
“It was a deserved defeat at the moment. Apart from the final 10 minutes, they have been the higher workforce,” he added.
Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic was scathing in his criticism of the performance.
“We let ourselves be overrun by a team who played in midweek. That’s not what it means to be Bayern Munich,” he mentioned.
Bayern survived an early probability from Jeremie Frimpong earlier than taking the lead themselves when Odilon Kossounou deflected a Joshua Kimmich shot into his personal internet.
The hosts continued to trigger Bayern issues, nevertheless, and totally deserved their equaliser from the penalty spot on 55 minutes.
Amine Adli was initially booked for diving after he was clipped by Benjamin Pavard, however the choice was reversed by VAR and Palacios transformed from the spot.
The scene repeated itself 20 minutes later as Adli was introduced down by Dayot Upamecano simply contained in the penalty space.
Once once more, he was booked for diving, and as soon as once more, Palacios smashed the ball into the underside nook after the intervention of VAR.
“VAR was a lifesaver at the moment and it was an ideal instance of how the system ought to work,” said referee Tobias Stieler.
The win also kept Leverkusen afloat in the race for Europe, with Alonso’s side now just three points adrift of sixth.
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Elsewhere, Union Berlin gave their Champions League hopes a boost as a rare goal from Rani Khedira helped them to a 2-0 win over Bundesliga top-six rivals Eintracht Frankfurt.
Khedira – the brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami – stabbed in the opener to score only his seventh goal in 194 Bundesliga appearances and lift Union back into third place.
“It’s also my first goal for Union so I am very happy,” Khedira instructed Dazn. “Today was way more about mentality than about ways.”
Both sides came into the game on five-game winless runs and trying to bounce back after being dumped out of European competition in midweek.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed)
