Bayern Munich players celebrate their second goal during the Bundesliga match against FC Augsburg, in Munich. (AFP)
AFP/Munich
Thomas Mueller converted a controversial 90th minute penalty as Bayern Munich came back from a goal down to defeat Bavarian rivals Augsburg 2-1 while Borussia Dortmund also made it four wins from four in Bundesliga action yesterday.
Robert Lewandowski began the champions’ comeback as he struck with 13 minutes left after Alexander Esswein had opened the scoring for the visitors on the stroke of half-time. However as the match appeared to be heading for a draw, the referee harshly pointed to the spot with time running out when Douglas Costa was brought down by Markus Feulner, which allowed the cool-headed Mueller to snatch the points for Bayern. Bayern coach Pep Guardiola fielded a weakened line-up with one eye on their Champions League group match against Olympiakos, on Wednesday in Athens, and was without star striker Arjen Robben who got injured on international duty and is out for four weeks with a groin injury.
Augsburg had won the same fixture last season 1-0 when Raul Bobadilla grabbed a late winner. Dortmund kept pace with their bitter rivals after they rode a pair of penalties from Pierre-Emerick Aubamey to come back and defeat Hanover 4-2.
Artur Sobiech had given the winless hosts an 18th minute lead before Aubamey converted the first of his spot-kicks 10 minutes before half-time.
Henrik Mikhitaryan put Dortmund in front for the first time just before the break before Sobiech grabbed his second on 53 minutes to level the match at 2-2.
Brazilian defender Felipe was the unfortunate victim of an own goal with 23 minutes left to give Dortmund the lead for the second time in the tie before Aubamey slotted home his second penalty on 85 minutes to put the result beyond doubt. Elsewhere, promoted SV Darmstadt 98 found the back of the net after just eight minutes against Bayer Levurkusen thanks to captain Aytac Sulu as they held on for a 1-0 win, their first top flight victory in 33 years.
Hertha Berlin picked up their second win of the season, with goals from Japanese international Genki Haraguchi and captain Fabian Lustenberger to edge Stuttgart 2-1 while FC Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg finished 0-0. In the day’s final match, Eintracht Frankfurt host FC Cologne while today Hoffenheim await Werder Bremen and Mainz travel to Schalke.
Results
Bayern Munich 2 (Lewandowski 77, Mueller 90-pen) FC Augsburg 1 (Esswein 43); Bayer Leverkusen 0 SV Darmstadt 98 1 (Sulu 8); Hanover 2 (Sobiech 18, 53) Dortmund 4 (Aubameyang 35-pen, 85-pen, Mkhitaryan 44, Felipe 67-og); Hertha Berlin 2 (Haraguchi 14, Lustenberger 45+3) VfB Stuttgart 1 (Sunjic 36); FC Ingolstadt 04 0 VfL Wolfsburg 0; Borussia Moenchengladbach 0 Hamburg 3 (Lasogga 11, 44, Mueller 52)