Bayern edge past Hamburg, go level with Dortmund

Corentin Tolisso got the winner as defending Bundesliga champions BayernMunich squeezed past 10-man Hamburg 1-0 to draw level with BorussiaDortmund at the top of the table yesterday.Both sides have 20 points, but goal difference keeps the Bavarianssecond behind Dortmund, who earlier threw away a two-goal lead in a 2-2draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.“It was a very important match,” said Tolisso in Hamburg.“We had seen Dortmund’s result and knew we had the opportunity to come back at them.“But it was a very complicated match, we could not control things and play our football as usual.“In the second half, they defended very deep, so we moved the ball from right to left, because we knew it was going to happen.“But anyway, we came here to win and get near to Dortmund.”Hamburg played for 50 minutes with 10 men after defender Gideon Jung wasshown a straight red card for scything down Kingsley Coman.Bayern’s new coach Jupp Heynckes, back for a fourth stint in chargeafter Carlo Ancelotti was sacked, rested several stars for next week’sdouble-header against RB Leipzig — on Wednesday in the German Cup andnext Saturday in the league.Captain Thomas Mueller came on for the start of the second half, set upTolisso for the winning goal but went off after 55 minutes with a thighinjury.Hamburg, who are already preparing for another relegation battle, pushedfor an equaliser, but Bayern deservedly won as Tolisso and ThiagoAlcantara hit the woodwork.Earlier, Dortmund were left fuming in Frankfurt after surrendering atwo-goal lead as another mistake by goalkeeper Roman Burki triggered thehosts’ fightback.Dortmund are winless in their last three games after also losing 3-2 athome to RB Leipzig last Saturday in the Bundesliga and drawing 1-1 atCypriot side APOEL on Tuesday in the Champions League.On Friday, Dortmund’s Swiss shot-stopper Burki extended his contract until 2021.It was a vote of confidence by the club after he endured sharp criticismfor a mistake which allowed APOEL to take a shock lead in the ChampionsLeague draw.Before kick-off, sporting director Michael Zorc told Sky that Burki hasDortmund’s full backing, but their goalkeeper gave away the penalty inFrankfurt which allowed Eintracht back in the game.Goals by Turkey international Nuri Sahin and winger Maximilian Philippeither side of the break put Dortmund 2-0 up, but Eintracht roared backwith two goals in four second-half minutes.French striker Sebastien Haller slotted home a penalty on 64 minutes —after Burki had brought down Ante Rebic — before midfielder Marius Wolflevelled shortly after.“That shouldn’t happen, if you lead 2-0 you shouldn’t allow an open game,” said Sahin.Sancho debutDortmund gave a Bundesliga debut to 17-year-old ex-Manchester Citymidfielder Jadon Sancho, who was released by England from the Under-17World Cup in India.Frankfurt’s point could have come at a price as USA wide man Timothy Chandler limped off with a knee injury on 37 minutes.RB Leipzig followed their midweek Champions League victory over Porto with a 1-0 win at VfB Stuttgart. Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer netted the winner midway through the firsthalf when his shot looped over Stuttgart’s Germany goalkeeper Ron-RobertZieler.Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen are ninth after a stunning 5-1 romp at Borussia Moenchengladbach.US international Fabian Johnson gave Gladbach a seventh-minute lead after meeting Thorgan Hazard’s cross at the far post.However, Leverkusen roared back with five second-half goals, four ofwhich came in a dazzling 21-minute spell, through Sven Bender, LeonBailey, Julian Brandt, Kevin Volland and Joel Pohjanpalo.Michael Gregoritsch’s long-range shot gave Augsburg a first-half lead athome against Hanover 96, but substitute Niclas Fuellkrug scored twosecond-half goals as the visitors came back to win 2-1.