Augsburg hand Bayern Munich first Bundesliga defeat since March

Augsburg stunned Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich 2-1 on Saturday to end a 27-match unbeaten league run for their Bavarian rivals dating back to March.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund made the most of the slip with a 3-0 win at Union Berlin in Saturday’s late game to cut their deficit to eight points, keeping alive their slim hopes of challenging Bayern this season.

Hiroki Ito’s opener gave the defending champions an early lead but Augsburg fought back with two goals in six second-half minutes from Arthur Chaves and Han-Noah Massengo.

“We have to accept it — it wasn’t undeserved. It wasn’t like Augsburg dominated us, but a win for us would not have been deserved either,” Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich told Sky Germany:

“Augsburg were more aggressive towards the end. It wasn’t the top level we wanted to deliver, but what’s most crucial is how we react to it.”

Bayern have been unstoppable this season. They had recorded the best opening half of a season in Bundesliga history and dropped just four out of a possible 54 points in 18 games.

The hosts looked set for a routine victory when Ito headed in a Michael Olise corner after 23 minutes.

Unfancied Augsburg last won a match in early December but fought back when Chaves made the most of a mistake from Bayern’s back-up goalkeeper Jonas Urbig to level on 76 minutes.

Massengo then finished off a superb team move to put Augsburg in front and on track for their first win in Munich since 2015.

Olise hit the post deep in stoppage time but Augsburg held on for a memorable victory.

Dortmund edge closer 

Emre Can converted an early penalty, Nico Schlotterbeck headed in against his former club and Maximilian Beier scored late on as Dortmund won at Union to stay on the fringes of the title race.

Arriving in the German capital after a disappointing Champions League defeat at Tottenham on Tuesday, Dortmund captain Can slotted home after Serhou Guirassy was clumsily fouled in the box with 10 minutes gone.

Just after the break, Schlotterbeck headed in a Julian Ryerson corner to double Dortmund’s lead.

Not tempted to avoid celebrations against his former employers, the Germany centre-back produced his now trademark flexed bicep in front of the elated visiting fan block.

With six minutes remaining, Beier turned in a Jobe Bellingham cross to ensure victory.

Over 400 kilometres away from Munich, Bayer Leverkusen fans celebrated Bayern’s loss, chanting “the only unbeaten champions”, celebrating as their record of being the only undefeated Bundesliga title-winners, which they managed in 2023-24, remained intact.

Leverkusen beat Werder Bremen 1-0, with former Real Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez scoring the only goal to snap a three-game losing streak, and climbed to sixth in the table.

Elsewhere, surprise-package Hoffenheim tightened their grip on a top-four spot with a come-from-behind 3-1 win at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt.

Frankfurt, who sacked coach Dino Toppmoeller last Sunday, took the lead through Arnaud Kalimuendo, but Hoffenheim turned the game around with three goals in 13 second-half minutes.

Max Moerstedt and Ozan Kabak scored before Aurele Amenda put through his own net as Hoffenheim, relegation battlers last season, continued their impressive turnaround.

RB Leipzig cruised past Heidenheim 3-0 to move up to fourth, thanks to goals from Ridle Baku, Antonio Nusa and captain David Raum.

Mainz beat Wolfsburg 3-1 to continue their recent resurgence. Rock-bottom at Christmas, Mainz have claimed nine points from their past six matches to climb into the relegation playoff spot.

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