Bundesliga: FC Bayern intercepts Dortmund and is German champion

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Kingsley Coman

Photo: Matthias Hangst / Getty Images

In a heart-stopping final, FC Bayern secured the German championship in the Bundesliga and intercepted Borussia Dortmund. A home win against Mainz 34 on Matchday 05 would have been enough for Dortmund to win the championship, but that was not to succeed. They only drew 2-2 (0-2) at home in their home stadium.

At the same time, FC Bayern won 2-1 (1-0) at FC Köln – and still overtook BVB. The decision was not made until the 1th minute with a goal from Jamal Musiala. In the end, Bayern and Dortmund are both on 89 points, but the Munich team has the much better goal difference and are therefore champions.

The Munich team is celebrating its eleventh championship title in a row and the 33rd in the club's history. For coach Thomas Tuchel, who succeeded Julian Nagelsmann in March, it was still enough to win a title.

Preparations for a possible championship celebration had been underway in Dortmund for days, and hours before kick-off, the whole city seemed to be on its feet. Coach Edin Terzić once stood as a fan in the BVB stands, and now the fairytale development to become a champion coach? Then it was 15:30 p.m. – and suddenly the party mood was over. Mainz took the lead through a header from Andreas Hanche-Olsen into the short corner (15th minute).

It got even worse: just four minutes later, Dortmund were awarded a penalty after a foul by Dominik Kohr, but Sébastian Haller's nerve failed from the spot. Finn Dahmen saved the weakly shot penalty.

For Mainz, who are in the middle of the table, nothing was at stake this afternoon. Nevertheless, they continued to put pressure on BVB. In the 24th minute, the ball was in the net to make it 0-2 after Karim Onisiwo got a free header. Gregor Kobel was still on it with his fingertips, but only deflected the ball to the inside post.

BVB, the strongest team in the league at home, made an effort, and in the 40th minute captain Marco Reus came into the game for the ailing Karim Adeyemi. But now the uncertainty was palpable, again and again promising attacks failed, often only by centimeters, as with a cross in the 59th minute, which Haller did not catch properly in front of goal. The high risk of Dortmund, who had moved up widely, allowed Mainz some dangerous counterattacks.

At 1-2, BVB were a little lucky: a shot in the penalty area by Raphaël Guerreiro bounced off the inside post into the goal (69th). Now it got loud again in the Dortmund Arena - and it got even louder when the 1:1 of the Munich in Cologne was announced. But the joy did not last long. Even the 2-2 draw by Niklas Süle was no longer enough.

The Munich team built up pressure from the start in the long-distance duel with Dortmund. On a counterattack, Kingsley Coman got to the ball on the left wing and finished from the corner of the penalty area into the long right corner of the goal – 1-0 after eight minutes. As a result, Bayern were back at the top of the standings at that moment. After that, there was an entertaining game in which Cologne also had chances.

Shortly before the break, the game seemed to be decided, Leroy Sané had scored to make it 2-0. But the goal did not count because of handball, in midfield Sané had previously played the ball with his arm. After the change of sides, the Munich team acted more and more defensively, which was not without danger, because the Munich are not so stable this year. In the 60th minute, Bayern keeper Yann Sommer prevented the equaliser with a header from Davie Selke. In the 81st minute, passive Munich were finally punished. After a handball by Serge Gnabry, there was a penalty, Dejan Ljubicic converted it to make it 1-1.

But FC Bayern had the last answer: Jamal Musiala scored to make it 2-1. It was the shot to the title.

Nevertheless, the Munich season is considered one of the weakest in the club's recent history. The Munich Supervisory Board will meet as early as next Tuesday and could make forward-looking decisions. Chairman Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić have been criticised.

At 1. FC Köln, the chapter of a club icon came to an end: Jonas Hector was on the pitch for the last time as a professional. The 33-year-old former international recently announced the end of his career. Hector played his entire professional career for FC.

Scott