BERLIN: Leroy Sane grabbed a late winner as Bayern Munich won 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to open up a nine-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
Meanwhile Robert Lewandowski led the league’s show of support to Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
Sane came off the bench before sealing the three points for Bayern in a game overshadowed by outside events, with Frankfurt’s stadium lit in the Ukrainian national colors of blue and yellow.
Electronic signs at the ground read “Stop it, Putin!” in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
There was a minute’s silence, as there were at other grounds around Germany, before kick-off.
The Bayern team wore black armbands for the victims of the conflict while Munich captain Lewandowski wore a yellow and blue armband.
“I decided to wear the armband this morning, the world cannot accept what is going on, we have to support Ukraine and the people fighting there,” said Lewandowski.
“I am anti-war and think what is happening there cannot be allowed, it hurts.
“I hope the whole world supports Ukraine — their people are fighting for freedom and I have huge respect for them.”
Frankfurt beat Bayern in their previous two meetings and this was a nip and tuck affair until Sane intervened.
“That was hard-fought. We could have taken the lead earlier, but the mentality was really good — that was important,” said Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich.
Just four minutes after Sane came on, Kimmich’s deft pass through the defense put the winger into space to roll his shot past Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
It was heart-breaking for the hosts who went close with chances for striker Filip Kostic.
At the other end, Trapp pulled off a string of saves and was poleaxed in the first half when Kingsley Coman’s shot smashed into his face.
“I have already got a bit of a headache,” quipped Trapp. “You can’t defend everything against Bayern and we gave it our all.”
Borussia Dortmund can trim Bayern’s lead on Sunday away to Augsburg.
Earlier, Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi finally scored his first goal for Union Berlin in a 3-1 home win over Mainz.
Haraguchi ended his 22-match wait to score when he cracked in his first goal since joining from second-tier Hanover 96 before the season.
Sheraldo Becker scored Union’s second with a long-range chip from outside the box.
Mainz were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Dominik Kohr was sent off for a second booking.
Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi tapped in his 10th league goal this season before Dutch striker Delano Burgzorg scored Mainz’s late consolation.
Lucas Alario fired in off the crossbar before Moussa Diaby scored with two crisp finishes as Bayer Leverkusen consolidated third with a 3-0 home win over Arminia Bielefeld.
Italy midfielder Vincenzo Grifo converted an early penalty before forward Kevin Schade and Lucas Hoeler tapped in late goals in Freiburg’s 3-0 home win over Hertha Berlin.
It was a miserable Bundesliga debut for Marcel Lotka, Hertha’s fourth-choice goalkeeper with Alexander Schwolow out with Covid and his deputies sidelined by injuries.
After last Sunday’s 6-0 drubbing by Dortmund, Borussia Moenchengladbach earned a point as substitute Breel Embolo scored a late equalizer in their 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg.
The hosts played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Maxence Lacroix was sent off for bringing down Marcus Thuram, who Embolo replaced before heading in the equalizer.
Gladbach defender Matthias Ginter hit the net with a header in stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out by VAR.
Bottom side Greuther Fuerth are unbeaten in their last six home games as they held Cologne to a 1-1 draw thanks to an equalizer by Sebastian Griesbeck.
Super sub Sane seals Bayern win, Lewandowski shows Ukraine solidarity
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Super sub Sane seals Bayern win, Lewandowski shows Ukraine solidarity
- Robert Lewandowski led the league's show of support to Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion
- Sane came off the bench before sealing the three points for Bayern in a game overshadowed by outside events
PSG rally from early deficit to beat Monaco 3-2 away in Champions League playoff
- PSG are now in an advantageous position for the return leg in Paris next Wednesday as they look to progress to next month’s last 16
MONACO: Champions League holders Paris St. Germain overcame a horror start and a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Monaco 3-2 away in the first leg of their knockout round playoff tie on Tuesday.
Desire Doue came off the bench to engineer an impressive turnaround for PSG, who conceded a goal in the opening minute and were 2-0 down after 18 minutes as Folarin Balogun grabbed a double for the hosts.
The 20-year-old Doue replaced Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who went off injured after 27 minutes, and proved decisive for the visitors as he struck two superb goals plus set up one for Achraf Hakimi.
Monaco spent most of the second half down to 10 men after Aleksandr Golovin was shown a red card for a studs-up tackle that raked down the shin of Vitinha with the referee upgrading his original caution to a sending off after consulting the touchline VAR screen.
PSG are now in an advantageous position for the return leg in Paris next Wednesday as they look to progress to next month’s last 16.
However, the European champions were in all sorts of trouble after 56 seconds when their fullback Nuno Mendes had a stray cross-field pass cut out in midfield, handing Monaco a first attack with Golovin chipping for Balogun to head home from close range.
Monaco looked to be in the driving seat as Balogun netted a second goal after Maghnes Akliouche’s cleverly weighted pass allowed the American striker to outsprint PSG captain Marquinhos and score.
PSG WASTE PENALTY OPPORTUNITY BUT STILL WIN
Their fortunes were still looking good despite a defensive slip by Wout Faes, which led to the defender pulling back on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and giving away a 22nd-minute penalty, but Vitinha’s effort was saved by Philipp Kohn.
But the tie swung as Doue came on for Dembele and scored with his first touch in the 29th minute with a left-footed effort after being teed up by Bradley Barcola. The goal was confirmed after a VAR check denied Monaco’s claims for a foul on defender Vanderson in the buildup.
Doue’s rifling shot in the 41st minute was parried away by Kohn, but Hakimi reacted quickly to pounce on the rebound and make it 2-2 before the break.
Golovin’s dismissal in the 48th minute left Monaco on the back foot as the visitors then dominated proceedings and should have had more than just the 67th-minute winner from Doue – another superbly struck shot that flew into the goal from the edge of the penalty area.
“I didn’t feel I had to show something starting on the bench, I tried to play as usual. Tonight it paid off. I was able to score, to help the team. That’s my job,” Doue said.
“The coach makes his choices, he thinks about putting the best players in the team. Tonight he fielded this starting eleven, which is very good. Whether it’s a defeat or a victory, it’s always a team effort.”
PSG midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery missed a couple of good chances and Hakimi came close to a late fourth goal when his 86th-minute angled effort went close across the face of the goal.
“Disappointment is the overriding feeling,” said Monaco captain Denis Zakaria. “We went into this match with the aim of winning, but we didn’t manage to do it today. We still have our chances. We’re going to Paris and trying to win there.”
