Bavarians’ 1st loss in 18 months
Bayern Munich on Saturday suffered their first league defeat in 18 months when they slumped to a 1-0 loss at Augsburg courtesy of Sascha Moelders’ first half strike.
The Bavarians, who clinched this season’s title in record time with seven games left in the campaign, had not lost in the Bundesliga since their 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in October 2012.
Augsburg got off to a stronger start and shocked the visitors with Moelders, starting instead of striker Raul Bobadilla, drilling in on the half hour after Mitchell Weiser lost possession in the Bayern half.
With Bayern coach Pep Guardiola fielding a second string team and resting key players ahead of next week’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester United, the champions had trouble finding their rhythm.
Augsburg briefly picked up where they left off early in the second half with Alexander Esswein seeing his effort palmed away by keeper Manuel Neuer.
Guardiola brought in three players with Thomas Mueller, Mario Goetze and David Alaba and the visitors instantly wrestled control away from the hosts.
Austria international Alaba hit the post as Bayern had Augsburg on the backfoot and Goetze and Mueller also came close with the Bavarians desperately looked for an equaliser.
Augsburg successfully soaked up the Bayern pressure and even hit the post in the final minute for a memorable victory, their first against any Bundesliga leaders in their top division history. Schalke 04 joined second-placed Borussia Dortmund, in action against VfL Wolfsburg later on Saturday, on 55 points after snatching a 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen.
Borussia Moenchengladbach also kept up their hopes of a top four finish when they eased past relegation candidates Nuremberg 2-0 with goals from Juan Arango and Max Kruse to move past Bayer Leverkusen into fourth place on goal difference.
Leverkusen who on Saturday sacked coach Sami Hyypia, had lost 2-1 to Hamburg SV on Friday to remain on 48 points. (Agencies)