Hoffenheim has successfully ended the 23 games unbeaten run of European champions, Bayern Munich on Sunday. Bayern lost 4-1 to the fellow Bundesliga side away from home.
This ends Bayern’s run of 23 consecutive wins, a record for a club in one of Europe’s five main leagues. They had surpassed Real Madrid’s 22 straight between September and December 2014.
The champions had held on to the record for ten months. Hoffenheim took a two goal lead with early strikes from defender Ermin Bicakcic and striker Munas Dabbur while Joshua Kimmich halved the deficit just before the break.
With the hope that Bayern now has a lifeline going into the second half, the hosts further regained a two-goal lead through Croatia international striker Andrej Kramaric. He later converted a late penalty to seal the win and move Hoffenheim to the top of the league.
Hansi Flick lauds Hoffenheim
Reacting to the outcome of the shocking loss, Bayern coach, Hansi Flick, who is losing his first game as Bayern coach in any competition since losing 2-1 to Borussia Moenchengladbach on December 7, 2019, said they opened up the spaces and gave the European champions few chances.
“Compliments to Hoffenheim, they cut out our space and gave us a few chances.
“We just couldn’t manage to take our chances or play with our usual intensity,” he added.
Coicidentally, Hoffenheim coach Sebastian Hoeness, who is the nephew of Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness left Munich’s reserves in July to take over at Hoffenheim.
He said the team utilisied their chances and he is not surprised by the outcome.
“We put into practise everything we had worked on, we were dominant from the beginning, managed to always be dangerous and defend well, so I am not surprised by the result.”
“We shouldn’t forget that Bayern played 120 minutes four days ago, but we put in a great performance,” added Hoeness.
Tired Bayern
Bayern was looking tired in the game, showing the effects of being taken to extra time in the UEFA Super Cup on Thursday before beating Sevilla 2-1 in Budapest.
Flick had to give record goalscorer, Robert Lewandowski rests ahead of Wednesday’s German Super Cup showdown against Borussia Dortmund. This will give the team the chance to win a fifth title in 2020. He threw in 19-year-old understudy Joshua Zirkzee into the attacking lineup, but he struggled to spark Bayern’s attack.
“We go into every game to win, it didn’t work today, now we focus on Dortmund. We will tick off this match and we focus on what we can do better on Wednesday,” added Flick.
Hoffenheim Vs Bayern Munich highlight
Hoffenheim took the lead against a lethargic Bayern Munich through Bicakcic in the 16 minutes. He found the back of the net after out-leaping Corentin Tolisso at a corner and headed past Manuel Neuer.
They doubled their lead when Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard tried to snuff out a counter-attack. The pass of the French defender rolled into the path of Israeli striker Dabbur, who made no mistake by chipping the ball over Neuer on 24 minutes.
Bayern then reduced the deficit after Leroy Sane’s superb pass across the box landed at the feet of Kimmich and the midfielder fired home superbly on 36 minutes.
The introduction of Lewandowski and central midfielder Leon Goretzka for Zirkzee and Pavard on 57 minutes didn’t change the scoreline as Kramaric gave the hosts another two-goal lead when he finished a counter-attack with a stunning strike on 77 minutes.
Hoffenheim will later put the result to bed after Bayern conceded a penalty in added time. Neuer brought down Ihlas Bebou in the area and Kramaric converted the resulting penalty.
Match stats
Hoeneß is only the second Hoffenheim coach to win his first two Bundesliga matches in charge, after Ralf Rangnick.
Kramaric has scored nine goals in his last three Bundesliga matches. The last time he recorded such feat was last season.
Bayern had won their last 10 away league matches in a row.
Kimmich’s last five Bundesliga goals have all been scored room outside the opposition area.
Dabbur has scored three goals in his last two competitive games against Bayern.
Hoffenheim have taken the lead in 11 of their last 24 games against Bayern.
