Leroy Sane bagged the second-half winner as Bayern Munich edged Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 to further extend their lead at the top.
Bayern Munich moved one step closer to securing the Bundesliga title after narrowly seeing off the threat of Eintracht Frankfurt in a 1-0 victory. The win helped the Rekordmeister extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points, although Borussia Dortmund could narrow it down to six with a victory over FC Augsburg on Sunday.
Without key players such as Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka and Alphonso Davies, it was always going to be a difficult encounter for Bayern Munich. Even with Robert Lewandowski spearheading the frontline, they lacked potency going forward, which translated into pressure from Eintracht, especially on the counter.
The Eagles did extremely well to tame Bayern in the first half. However, a difficult start to the second half saw Die Adler eventually lose control over the game, as they struggled to keep hold of possession or offer threats on the counter. It paved the way for Bayern to put pressure on Kevin Trapp in between the sticks.
The Bavarians found their deserved breakthrough in the 71st minute, thanks to substitute Leroy Sane. Bayern did look nervy after scoring the goal and had to see off a number of Frankfurt attacks to retain their narrow advantage.
Sven Ulreich: 7/10
Sven Ulreich had a rather comfortable game in between the sticks for FC Bayern. Despite all of Eintracht’s attacking threats, the Eagles only conjured up one shot on target. It led to a rather quiet afternoon for Ulreich, who will be delighted with the clean sheet – his first in the Bundesliga this season.
Benjamin Pavard: 7/10
Benjamin Pavard was always going to have a tough game dealing with the threat of Filip Kostic. However, the Frenchman deserves credit for sticking well to his task and minimising the attacking influence of the Serbian. He didn’t provide much going forward, but it was certainly an improved display from the right-back.
Dayot Upamecano: 7/10
Dayot Upamecano is often the number one target for Bayern Munich fans. But this was a neat and tidy performance from the former RB Leipzig centre-back, who utilised his speed to keep things in check. His passing should have been better, but it is a step in the right direction for the defender.
Niklas Sule: 7.5/10
Niklas Sule deserves a lot of credit for his near-perfect defensive effort. He was quite a menacing figure at the heart of the Bayern backline and did extremely well to keep a lid on Jesper Lindstrom. He also played a vital role in mopping up long balls from the opposition.
Niklas Sule has been nothing more than a consummate professional since the move was announced and we Bayern fans have to acknowledge that.
— Sai Sreekar (@ftshrieker) February 26, 2022
Lucas Hernandez: 7.5/10
Lucas Hernandez had an indifferent first half when he was involved in squabbles with a few of the Frankfurt players. The defender stepped up his game in the second half, making a host of important tackles and clearances to deny the opposition from finding the late equaliser. His passing was shoddy, however.
Joshua Kimmich: 8/10
Joshua Kimmich had an excellent game in the middle of the park. After a slow start, the German international offered stability and control in the centre of the pitch. His defensive work was top-notch as well, making it difficult for the likes of Ajdin Hrustic and Dominik Sow to cause problems. His performance was capped off by a near-perfect assist to feed Sane for the winner.
Joshua Kimmich's game by numbers vs Frankfurt:
119 total touches
100% successful dribbles (3/3)
91% pass accuracy (84/92)
75% ground duels won (9/12)
19 ball recoveries
5 chances created
1 assistA masterclass. ?? pic.twitter.com/V1ZCHIP1M3
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 26, 2022
Marcel Sabitzer: 5/10
Marcel Sabitzer was given another opportunity to prove himself in the absence of Goretzka and Muller. Unfortunately, the midfielder’s struggles continued as he offered very little creativity or control. He looked anonymous for a large portion of the game before eventually making way for Sane midway through the second half.
Serge Gnabry: 6/10
Serge Gnabry had a poor game on the right-hand side of the Bayern Munich frontline. He struggled to influence the proceedings and looked rather frustrated at times. His efforts on targets were quite tame, to say the least.
Jamal Musiala: 7/10
Jamal Musiala was asked to fill in for the absent Muller in the number ten role. He wasn’t as influential as one would have hoped, but the youngster’s neat footwork was vital in the build-up to Sane’s winner.
Kingsley Coman: 7/10
Kingsley Coman was certainly much more influential than Gnabry on the opposite flank. He used his burst of space to craft a few goalscoring opportunities. The end product, though, was missing.
Robert Lewandowski: 6.5/10
Robert Lewandowski tried his best to find himself on the end of goalscoring opportunities. Unfortunately, he was defended expertly by the Eintracht Frankfurt defenders that denied him even an inch of space. It resulted in a frustrating game for the Polish international, who may have to wait a bit longer to match the all-time away goals record in a single Bundesliga campaign.
Robert Lewandowski showing support to Ukraine by wearing their flag on his arm. ? pic.twitter.com/6mUppN4Jod
— L.Prince ? (@LeroyPrince77) February 26, 2022
Substitutes
Leroy Sane: 7.5/10
After a poor first half, it was apparent Bayern Munich required some creativity in the final third. That came in the form of Leroy Sane, who added that missing spark in the number ten role and was eventually rewarded with a goal.
Marc Roca: N/A
A late replacement for Coman. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: N/A
A late replacement for Coman. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
I think the German champions should get some creative and. Leader defender next summer I can see them winning it all next season