Connect with us

Sports

Bayern Suffer Nine-Year Low In Shock Loss, Slip Eight Points Off Title Pace

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Bayern Munich slumped to a shock 3-2 loss at lowly Bochum on Sunday, suffering a third successive defeat for the first time since 2015 and leaving them eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race.

The result followed a 3-0 league defeat to Leverkusen last weekend and a 1-0 loss against Lazio in the Champions League as coach Thomas Tuchel came under renewed pressure.

Tuchel was bullish after the match, saying “the loss today wasn’t justified. We were extremely unlucky.”

Bayern were also reduced to 10 men with 13 minutes remaining when Dayot Upamecano elbowed Kevin Stoeger in the box, picking up a second yellow, giving away a penalty and seeing red for the second match in a row.

Advertisement

Stoeger blasted the penalty past Manuel Neuer to give Bochum a 3-1 lead.

Harry Kane scored with three minutes remaining to get Bayern back into the match and even had a chance to equalise late, but directed a tame header straight at Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann.

Bayern had beaten Bochum 7-0 in three of their past five meetings and the visitors scored early, Jamal Musiala blasting in after 14 minutes.

It was the German champions’ first goal in over three hours of football.

Advertisement

Kane had a chance shortly after when one-on-one with Riemann but skied his shot into the stands.

Tuchel lamented his side’s wastefulness in attack, telling DAZN “we had more than enough high-quality chances which those guys would normally put away.”

The home side absorbed waves of Bayern pressure before Takuma Asano levelled after 38 minutes, shooting a low shot past Neuer on a counter attack.

Bayern fell behind just six minutes later, Keven Schlotterbeck heading in a corner.

Advertisement

The visitors turned the screws early in the second-half but the match was delayed for 12 minutes by fan protests against the Bundesliga’s investment plan, after which Bochum held their own against the German giants.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Upamecano clashed with Stoeger contesting a corner and was sent off.

In teeming rain, Stoeger hit his penalty low and hard to the right, past Neuer’s outstretched hand.

Bayern’s teenage forward Mathys Tel set up Kane after 87 minutes, getting Bayern back into the match but then Kane wasted a golden chance to seize a last-gasp point.

Advertisement

Stoeger said: “It’s an enormous relief. We thought we could get a point and we got three.”

“I think all of Bochum is proud of the performance we delivered.”

Bochum coach Thomas Letsch added: “To win against Bayern is especially nice, given they’re a team stacked with talent.”

– Freiburg, Frankfurt draw –
Earlier on Sunday, Freiburg forward Michael Gregoritsch scored in the last minute to snatch his side a 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Advertisement

Two goals from Ansgar Knauff, both set up by the impressive Omar Marmoush, who also got on the scoresheet, had Frankfurt on course for three points.

The visitors however failed to clear a corner and the 1.93-metre-tall Gregoritsch headed past Kevin Trapp to level the scores for Freiburg for the third and final time.

A frustrated Trapp told DAZN “we’re shooting ourselves in the foot”.

“It went back and forth, which is a shame for us. We could have taken more out of it.”

Advertisement

Frankfurt’s Marmoush scored first, but Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan hit back just three minutes later on the half-hour mark.

Marmoush’s superb pass allowed Knauff to score on the counter but the match was level again by half-time thanks to a penalty from Italy midfielder Vincenzo Grifo.

Knauff again put Frankfurt in front after 72 minutes before Gregoritsch came to the rescue.

In another match interrupted as fans threw objects on the pitch, Knauff then saved Frankfurt in the ninth minute of added time when he cleared a bouncing ball off the line.

Advertisement

The point moves Frankfurt four clear of Werder Bremen in sixth-place, the last European spot.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Sports

World Cup: Ronaldo silences critics with brace as Portugal demolish Uzbekistan

Published

on

By

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a timely response to his critics on Tuesday, scoring twice as Portugal cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their Group K clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston.

The emphatic win revived Portugal’s World Cup campaign after their opening draw against DR Congo and moved Roberto Martínez’s side into a strong position in the race for a place in the Round of 32.

Ronaldo wasted little time making his mark. The 41-year-old forward opened the scoring in the sixth minute, finishing from a João Cancelo assist to give Portugal an early advantage.

The goal saw him become the first player in football history to score in six different FIFA World Cups, further extending his remarkable international legacy.

Portugal doubled their lead in the 17th minute through Nuno Mendes, whose attacking run and clinical finish exposed Uzbekistan’s defensive frailties.

The Europeans continued to dominate possession and territory, pinning their opponents deep inside their own half.

Ronaldo struck again six minutes before the break, converting after being picked out by Bruno Fernandes.

The goal handed Portugal a comfortable 3-0 lead at half-time and underlined the veteran forward’s enduring influence on the international stage.

Any hopes of an Uzbek comeback disappeared shortly after the restart when goalkeeper Abduvokhid Nematov inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 60th minute, extending Portugal’s lead to four.

With the contest effectively settled, Portugal controlled proceedings and continued to create chances against a tiring Uzbek defence.

Rafael Leão completed the rout in the 87th minute, finishing brilliantly after a well-worked move involving Nelson Semedo to cap a dominant display from the 2016 European champions.

The victory leaves Portugal firmly back in contention for qualification ahead of their final group match, while Uzbekistan face a must-win encounter against DR Congo to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

For Ronaldo, however, the night belonged to him. Having faced growing questions about his role in the national team, the Portuguese captain answered in the most emphatic manner possible with goals, records and a performance that reminded the football world why he remains one of the game’s defining figures.

Continue Reading

Sports

Super Eagles: Chelle, NFF Reach New Contract

Published

on

By

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has reached agreement on a new contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.

Chelle entered the new agreement with NFF during a meeting at the National Sports Commission, NSC, headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, and Chelle attended the meeting.

Chelle will now earn $100,000 monthly, in place of his earlier $45,000 salary, following the new agreement.

The Malian’s assistants will also now be paid by the NFF.

The 48-year-old, who was appointed Super Eagles head coach in January 2025, guided the Super Eagles to third position at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Continue Reading

Sports

Messi becomes World Cup highest goalscorer as Argentina beat Austria 2-0

Published

on

By

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Argentina’s Lionel Messi has broken the record for the most goals in World Cup history with 18 goals after a brace in a win against Austria.

The defending champions won 2-0 after a hard fought game against Austria, but were able to get the win after Messi scored in both halves of the game.

Messi, who is widely regarded as the greatest footballer ever surpassed Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals.

Argentina now have two wins in two games and have qualified for the next round as they look to successfully defend the title.

Meanwhile Austria will look to seal their qualification to the next round in their last game against Algeria.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News