Mönchengladbach beat Bayern to blow title race wide open

Mueez Ajao

– Germany, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Borussia Moenchengladbach beat 10-man Bayern Munich 3-2 on Saturday to leave their opponents with a slim advantage atop the Bundesliga and stretch their unbeaten run against the champions to a club record fifth straight game in all competitions.

– The result means Bayern, fresh from Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League Round of 16 first leg win at Paris St Germain, have only a one-point lead over second-placed Union Berlin after their second Bundesliga defeat of the season.

– Gladbach went ahead through Lars Stindl in the 13th minute after Bayern got off to a nightmare start with Dayot Upamecano bringing down Alassane Plea outside the box and being sent off for his last-man foul in the eighth minute.

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– Stindl missed a golden chance to double their lead in the 24th when he only had to tap in from close range but sent his shot wide.

– Bayern kept going forward and were rewarded in the 35th with Alphonso Davies sprinting down the wing with dazzling speed and cutting back for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to slot in the equaliser with his eighth league goal this term.

– Despite coming close with a Joshua Kimmich shot after the restart, Bayern fell behind again when Gladbach outplayed the visitors’ outnumbered defence with a quick passing move and Jonas Hofmann completed it with a cool finish in the 55th.

– Substitute Marcus Thuram made sure of the three points, after finishing off an almost identical move down the right before Mathys Tel pulled a goal back for Bayern in added time.

– The Foals, who have become Bayern’s bogeyman team in the league, have now claimed 10 wins against Bayern since the 2011/12 season. No other Bundesliga club has more than five in the same period.

– Bayern have 43 points after 21 games, with Union Berlin on 42 from 20 before they host Schalke 04 on Sunday.

– Gladbach climbed to eighth place on 29.