Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz scored and was despatched off in a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen. Photograph: AFP
LEVERKUSEN:
Leaders Bayern Munich held on for a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen regardless of ending with 9 males in an eventful Bundesliga conflict on Saturday.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund’s snug house win at Augsburg drew them 9 factors behind reigning champions Bayern with eight video games to play.
Aleix Garcia’s aim gave Leverkusen the lead and Bayern striker Nicolas Jackson noticed crimson earlier than half-time.
Luis Diaz levelled issues up however then picked up a second yellow card for diving within the field.
Bayern held agency to seize some extent, whilst Leverkusen had two efforts chalked off in stoppage time.
Bayern additionally had strikes from Jonathan Tah and substitute Harry Kane dominated out by VAR for handball in a typically manic match on the BayArena.
“It was a poor efficiency from the referee,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany advised DAZN.
“Why he (Diaz) will get a crimson card, no one within the stadium is aware of anymore, it is insane…
“Somebody wants to elucidate to me why that is a yellow card at that stage of the sport.
“It is an enormous blow and he’ll be out for the following recreation.”
Referee Christian Dingert admitted he made an error by sending Diaz off.
“I perceived the incident as him diving. Trying on the footage, it is clear it wasn’t a penalty. However the crimson card was very harsh — I would not give that now,” Dingert advised Sky.
Leverkusen, who held Arsenal to the identical scoreline on Wednesday, journey to London for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 conflict on Tuesday.
Garcia completed off a fluid group transfer to place Leverkusen forward six minutes in, the Spain midfielder accumulating a Patrik Schick cross and chipping the ball over third-choice Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, enjoying with Manuel Neuer and Jonas Urbig out injured.
Former Leverkusen centre-back Tah appeared to have levelled issues up halfway via the primary half when he discovered the online from a nook, however VAR intervened.
Bayern’s hopes took an additional hit when Jackson noticed crimson for sinking his studs into Martin Terrier’s ankle simply earlier than the break.
With half-hour left, Bayern introduced Kane on as an alternative after his current absence with a calf knock and the England captain thought he had scored simply 47 seconds later, however once more VAR noticed a handball.
Diaz lastly grabbed Bayern an equaliser when he guided a pin-point Michael Olise cross in with 69 minutes gone.
Chasing a winner, the Colombian went down within the field underneath gentle contact from Leverkusen ‘keeper Janis Blaswich and was proven a second yellow for diving.
Right down to 9 males for the primary time since 2001, Bayern dug deep regardless of their numerical drawback within the dying phases to cling on for some extent.
Dortmund inch nearer
Dortmund moved two factors nearer to Bayern with Karim Adeyemi and Luca Reggiani each getting on the scoresheet in a 2-0 house win over Augsburg.
“We actually loved it right now. We managed the sport,” Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha advised DAZN.
Adeyemi gave Dortmund the lead within the thirteenth minute, delivering a Maximilian Beier cross from shut vary.
Stodgy and uninspired in beating a 10-man Cologne final week, Dortmund confirmed fluency in assault, though Adeyemi and Beier took turns in hitting the crossbar earlier than the break as Augsburg stayed within the recreation.
However simply earlier than the hour mark, 18-year-old centre-back Reggiani headed in a Julian Ryerson nook for his first Bundesliga aim.
The victory took Dortmund to 58 factors, yet another than their remaining whole final season.
In Saturday’s late recreation, promoted Hamburg drew 1-1 at house with Cologne, with Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira’s lobbed opener for the hosts cancelled out by Stated El Mala heading house from shut vary.
Elsewhere, Arnaud Kalimuendo scored as Eintracht Frankfurt beat last-placed Heidenheim 1-0.
Wolfsburg’s bid to beat the drop took a success in a 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim which left them stranded within the relegation zone.
