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Rediff.com  » Sports » Soccer wrap: Bayern win Bundesliga with last-gasp goal

Soccer wrap: Bayern win Bundesliga with last-gasp goal

Last updated on: May 28, 2023 13:06 IST
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A summary of Saturday's action in the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A and Saudi Pro League.  

Manuel Neuer celebrates with the trophy and teammates after Bayern Munich beat FC Cologne to win the Bundesliga, at RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany, on Saturday.

IMAGE: Manuel Neuer celebrates with the trophy and teammates after Bayern Munich beat FC Cologne to win the Bundesliga, at RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany, on Saturday. Photograph: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters

Bayern Munich snatched their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in dramatic fashion with a final day 2-1 win at Cologne on Saturday courtesy of Jamal Musiala's 89th minute goal, grabbing the trophy from the hands of rivals Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund had gone into the last game of the season in top spot but stumbled to a 2-2 against visitors Mainz 05, allowing Bayern to squeeze past them in the tightest league race in years.

In a climactic season finale, Bayern were celebrating what ended up being an unexpected title win while Dortmund's dreams of their first league trophy since 2012 were left in tatters when they were trailing 2-0 to Mainz early on before battling to a 2-2 draw - but they needed victory to become champions.

 

Bayern finished on 71 points, ahead on goal difference from Dortmund. RB Leipzig and sensational Union Berlin are third and fourth respectively and will also compete in the Champions League next season.

Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 were relegated, while VfB Stuttgart will go into the relegation playoff.

Jamal Musiala celebrates scoring Bayern Munich's second goal with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

IMAGE: Jamal Musiala celebrates scoring Bayern Munich's second goal with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Photograph: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters

While the title win rescues some silverware in what has been a frustrating season for Bayern, the club sacked CEO Oliver Kahn, who was not in Cologne, and sports director Hasan Salihamdizic minutes after the title win.

The surprise sacking of Julian Nagelsmann in late March and the arrival of Thomas Tuchel was not coupled with success with the team crashing out of the German Cup and the Champions League last eight and the Bayern bosses paid the price.

The Bavarians needed a win and Kingsley Coman settled their nerves early on, putting them into the lead with a superbly curled shot into the top corner.

With Dortmund behind from the first half, the Bavarians knew they were now in front and controlled the first half without risking too much.

Leroy Sane did slot in just before the break but his effort did not count following a VAR review for handball.

With Bayern club bosses, including Salihamidzic, nervously checking their mobile phones for the score in Dortmund, Cologne earned an 80th minute penalty and Dejan Ljubicic sent keeper the wrong way to level.

Sane thought he had missed the chance to hand his team the title when he failed to beat the Cologne keeper in the 88th but Musiala did it perfectly a minute later, curling a low drive into the far post in the rollercoaster season ending.

PSG clinch record-breaking 11th Ligue 1 title

Lionel Messi puts Paris St Germain ahead in the Ligue 1 match against RC Strasbourg, at Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg, France on Saturday.

IMAGE: Lionel Messi puts Paris St Germain ahead in the Ligue 1 match against RC Strasbourg, at Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg, France on Saturday. Photograph: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters

Paris St Germain clinched a record-breaking 11th Ligue 1 title with one game to spare when they drew 1-1 at Racing Strasbourg on Saturday.

Lionel Messi put PSG ahead in the 59th minute away at Strasbourg while Kevin Gameiro scored the equaliser.

The result gave PSG an unassailable four-point lead over second-placed Lens with one match of the season remaining.

PSG moved ahead of the previous record of 10 titles set by Saint-Etienne in 1981 and which it equalled a year ago under former coach Mauricio Pochettino.

The result put them on 85 points, four ahead of RC Lens, who secured second place with a 3-0 home victory against AC Ajaccio.

But their future looks blurry after yet another failure in the Champions League.

This season, PSG's team were assembled around Kylian Mbappe, but the France forward has yet to announce whether he will activate the option to stay at the club until 2025 or if he will leave in 2024.

Mbappe was one of very few satisfactions as PSG also failed to win the French Cup, scoring 28 goals while Lionel Messi was largely disappointing and Neymar missed the second part of the season through injury.

Between the posts, Gianluigi Donnarumma did not provide the same safety he gave Italy in their Euro 2020 winning campaign and PSG exited the Champions League in the last 16 for the fifth time in the last seven campaigns.

PSG's sometimes woeful performances, unexpected for the Qatar-owned club who spent way over a billion euros in transfers since 2011, were due to some poor recruitment choices and the lack of proper team spirit.

While on paper, Mbappe, Messi and Neymar could form the most formidable attacking trio on the planet, it never really gelled and they were barely supported by a less-than-average midfield with Marco Verratti a huge disappointment throughout the season.

Since Carlo Ancelotti, arguably one of the most seasoned managers in Europe, was sacked in 2013, coaches have come and gone, all failing to get a grip on the squad in spectacular fashion.

Laurent Blanc, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino have come short and so did Christophe Galtier this season.

Messi was suspended for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this month but Galtier said he had nothing to do with the decision to sanction the forward, whose form has nosedived spectacularly after he won the World Cup with Argentina.

Messi scored PSG's opener from Mbappe's pass on Saturday but the 35-year-old is likely to leave the club at the end of the season. There is growing speculation that Neymar could also depart, leaving the management with a team to build almost from scratch, yet again.

PSG's refusal to admit management errors has left their most devoted fans to protest repeatedly, which culminated in some of them gathering in front of Neymar's home chanting for the Brazilian to leave.

Their wish might be heard, but what's coming next is anyone's guess, and 12 years of sometimes erratic decisions do not inspire confidence.

Inter secure top four finish after beating Atalanta

Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella celebrate with their Inter Milan teammates after victory over Atalanta in the Serie A match at San Siro, Milan, Italy.

IMAGE: Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella celebrate with their Inter Milan teammates after victory over Atalanta in the Serie A match at San Siro, Milan, Italy. Photograph: Claudia Greco/Reuters

Inter Milan scored twice inside the opening four minutes but had to fight to beat Atalanta 3-2 at home on Saturday, which guaranteed them a top four finish in Serie A.

Simone Inzaghi's side is second in the standings with 69 points, eight ahead of Atalanta, who occupy fifth place with only one game remaining for both. Lazio, in third place, are one point behind Inter before their match against Cremonese on Sunday.

After the match, Inzaghi was full of praise for his squad.

Inter made an explosive start, with Romelu Lukaku scoring after just 39 seconds. Nicolo Barella doubled the lead barely two minutes later by firing in a rebound from Federico Dimarco's effort.

It was the first time in more than 82 years that Inter scored twice within the first three minutes of play in Serie A.

Inter could even have had a third before the ten-minute mark, but Hakan Calhanoglu's effort was disallowed due to an offside.

Atalanta gradually woke up from the early setback, with both Rasmus Hojlund and Teun Koopmeiners having chances that called Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana into action.

Mario Pasalic injected life into the game when he reduced the score after 36 minutes, capitalising on a failed clearance and firing in.

Inter dominated again after halftime and Lautaro Martinez scored from close range 13 minutes from time to put Inter 3-1 ahead. Lukaku rolled the ball across the box for the Argentine to slot in.

Atalanta pulled one back a minute into stoppage time as Luis Muriel's free-kick struck the wall, with the follow-up shot ricocheting off the crossbar and then rebounding in off Onana.

However, the Champions League finalists held on for the win and now have one league match remaining against Torino before they face Manchester City in Istanbul on June 10.

"We all know Manchester City are the strongest squad in the world, they are the favourites, but we gave our all to get here and will give our all on the night, too," he added.

Al-Ittihad crowned Saudi league champions ahead of Ronaldo's Al-Nassr

Al-Ittihad clinched the Saudi Pro League title for the first time since 2009 with a 3-0 win at Al-Feiha , eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr to the accolade.

A third minute strike by Ahmed Sharahili and two goals from Romarinho secured victory for Al-Ittihad, who made amends for losing the title on the final day of last season.

The Jeddah club have 69 points, five more than Al-Nassr who drew 1-1 with Al-Ettifaq, with one round left to play. Saturday's result sealed Al-Ittihad their ninth league title.

Sharahili gave the visitors the perfect start, turning in Igor Coronado's free kick at the far post in the third minute.

Romarinho headed in the second from another Coronado free kick during the first-half stoppage time. The Brazilian scored his second five minutes from the end.

The result handed former Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Nuno Espirito Santo his first top flight league title.

In Dammam, Ronaldo endured another frustrating outing and was substituted in the second half as Al-Nassr were held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Ettifaq.

Youssoufou Niakate put Al-Ettifaq ahead two minutes before the break, while Brazilian Luiz Gustavo equalised for Al-Nassr in the 56th minute.

Ronaldo will finish his first season in the country empty-handed after joining the club in January.

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Source: REUTERS
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