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Injury-hit Bayern Munich battled to a 3-2 victory at Augsburg in the Bavarian derby on Saturday to cut the gap with Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen to one point.
First half goals from 19-year-old Aleksandar Pavlovic and Alphonso Davies plus one from the league’s top scorer Harry Kane just before the hour took second-placed Bayern to 47 points.
Leverkusen play later at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Bayern, whose winger Kingsley Coman suffered a suspected knee ligament injury that could rule him out for some time, conceded two penalties late in the game with Augsburg converting one of them in stoppage time.
“It was an unusual lineup for us with all the injuries and absences,” said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. “We had a bit of luck at the start. We knew it was going to be tough against them. But then we got better and created lots of chances.
“In the end it got a bit turbulent with the two late penalties. Overall I am satisfied with the attitude and the performance of my team.”
The hosts got off to a stronger start and also put the ball in the net before a VAR review cancelled out the goal.
PLAYERS OUT
Bayern were missing nine players through injury or international duty, including Konrad Laimer, Joshua Kimmich and Dayot Upamecano, who were all injured in the midweek 1-0 home win over Union Berlin.
They still managed to take the lead with teenager Plavlovic turning in the box and drilling home his first league goal in the 23rd minute.
Only a minute later, however, Bayern winger Kingsley Coman had to be helped off the pitch after what looked like a knee injury, piling more pressure on an already depleted squad.
“We have to wait until tomorrow for a precise diagnosis. But it does not look good. We suspect a ligament injury,” Tuchel said.
The Bavarians added a second goal deep in first half stoppage time when Davies rifled in a low shot.
Augsburg bounced back seven minutes after the restart as Ermedin Demirovic was left unmarked in the box and beat keeper Manuel Neuer with a glancing header to cut the deficit.
Kane then tapped in his 23rd league goal in the 58th following a lengthy VAR review to restore Bayern’s two-goal lead before Augsburg earned an 87th minute penalty.
Neuer picked the right corner and palmed Sven Michel’s spot kick wide but Demirovic beat him with another spot kick in stoppage time to inject some late drama into the game.
The defeat leaves Augsburg in 12th place on 21 points.
