Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen battled to a 1-1 stalemate at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, with England captain Harry Kane forced off injured late in the match.
The encounter saw Bayern drop points despite a dominant display, while Leverkusen held firm to claim a valuable point.
The game came to life in the 31st minute when Robert Andrich fired Leverkusen into the lead with a powerful, low-driven shot from outside the penalty area.
Granit Xhaka’s precise chest control from a corner set up the opportunity, and Andrich’s strike cut through a sea of Bayern defenders, finding the bottom corner past a helpless Manuel Neuer.
Bayern, who had enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, responded swiftly. A failed clearance by the Leverkusen defense landed at the feet of Aleksandar Pavlovic, who unleashed a thunderous half-volley from 25 meters.
His effort, which glanced off the fingertips of Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, rocketed into the top corner, leveling the score.
The hosts continued to pile on the pressure, finishing the game with 18 shots to Leverkusen’s three, yet struggled to convert their chances.
Serge Gnabry came closest to putting Bayern ahead early in the second half. Twice set up by Harry Kane, the winger first struck the post with a powerful effort before narrowly missing the target on his second attempt, grazing the crossbar.
Bayern’s Jamal Musiala was a constant threat, finding pockets of space in Leverkusen’s defense, but was left frustrated when a penalty appeal following a tussle with Xhaka in the box went unanswered.
As the game drew to a close, an unfortunate collision between Kane and Leverkusen’s Amine Adli forced the Englishman to limp off the pitch.
Thomas Mueller replaced him, and immediately found himself in a contentious moment when he went down under pressure from Edmond Tapsoba in the box.
However, the referee waved play on, and Bayern had to settle for a share of the points.
Despite their dominance, Bayern’s inability to break down Leverkusen’s stubborn defense meant the match ended 1-1.
The result saw Bayern move to 13 points from five matches, maintaining a two-point lead over second-placed RB Leipzig, while Leverkusen sits in third with 10 points.
Xabi Alonso’s side demonstrated resilience throughout the match, holding off a Bayern team that had enjoyed the better chances and more possession.
Though outshot and often outplayed, Leverkusen’s grit and determination ensured they walked away with a hard-earned draw.
