Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 in Der Klassiker at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Harry Kane hit the crossbar with a penalty, and substitute Fabio Silva scored the equaliser for Dortmund in the 89th minute.
The two clubs are now level on 18 points at the top of the Bundesliga after eight games. Bayern stay first on goal difference, and neither team has lost a league game yet this season.
A night for Kane that went wrong
It was Kane’s first game since he won the Ballon d’Or on Monday, and the trophy was shown to the home fans before kick-off. The night did not go to plan for him.
Dortmund thought they had scored first, but a Jobe Bellingham goal was ruled out after a VAR check. Konrad Laimer then put Bayern ahead after 38 minutes.
Early in the second half Bayern were given a penalty. Kane stepped up and hit the bar. A few minutes later Serhou Guirassy made it 1-1 for Dortmund on the hour.
Upamecano, then Silva
Kane did help Bayern go back in front. On 66 minutes he set up Dayot Upamecano, and the defender scored to make it 2-1.
Bayern looked set to hold on. But Dortmund’s coach Niko Kovač had two fresh players on the pitch, and they made the difference. Konstantinos Karetsas found Fabio Silva, and the Portuguese striker scored with a minute of normal time left.
Bayern also had to make early changes. Ismael Saibari and Serge Gnabry both went off injured in the first half, and the club will now wait for news on both players.
Our take
Dortmund will feel this was a point won. Coming back twice in Munich is hard, and Kovač’s changes worked at the right time.
For Bayern, the missed penalty will hurt the most. A 2-0 lead would almost surely have finished the game. Kane will score many more penalties this season, but this one could cost them in the title race.
The good news for neutral fans is simple. After eight games, the Bundesliga has a real race at the top.
Who will finish first this season, Bayern or Dortmund? Tell us in the comments.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Harry Kane by Bryan Berlin (CC BY-SA 4.0), Dayot Upamecano by Bryan Berlin (CC BY-SA 4.0), Fabio Silva by Bex Walton (CC BY 2.0), Allianz Arena by Flocci Nivis (CC BY 4.0).
