Bayern Munich Overturns Two Goal Deficit to Beat Hoffenheim
Bayern Munich have ended their three-game winless streak against Hoffenheim after a thrilling 5-2 victory at the Allianz Arena.
Four of the six goals were chalked up inside a breathless 25 minute period, with the home team having to come from two goals down inside the first 45 before Kingsley Coman, Arturo Vidal and Sandro Wagner secured their come-from-behind victory.
Julian Nagelsmann's men have now won just one of the last seven league games, while Bayern stretched their winning run to nine matches.
It took just two minutes for Hoffenheim to stun Bayern. Serge Gnabry, playing against his parent club, was tripped by Joshua Kimmich in the area and referee Manuel Grafe saw no alternative but to give the away side a penalty.
Gnabry stepped up from 12 yards and, despite his spot kick being saved by Sven Ulreich, Mark Uth was quickest to tap home the rebound.
Still reeling from that early setback, Bayern were dealt a double blow when Gnabry showed his quality with a low drive flew past Ulreich from 20 yards after Lukas Rupp's deflected pass fell into his path.
The hosts then drew a goal back on 20 minutes - Kimmich's deflected effort after Corentin Tolisso's lay off being stabbed home by Robert Lewandowski ahead of Oliver Baumann - before a pulsating opening 25 minutes saw Bayern draw level.
Arjen Robben's inswinging corner was met by the stooping Jerome Boateng and, in keeping with the prolific nature of the clash so far, saw his header nestle into the bottom right-hand corner.
David Alaba, Arturo Vidal and Lewandowski saw pop shots arc narrowly wide of the upright as they match finally took a breather after a frenetic opening half hour, while Kimmich had a half shout for a penalty after he was shoved in the box ahead of the interval.
Vidal's acrobatic long-range effort was comfortably held early in the second half as both outfits continued their end-to-end tussle while the visitors called for another penalty after Kimmich appeared to handle inside his own area.
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Bayern turned the score on its head just past the hour mark. Lewandowski's ball out to Coman split Hoffenheim's defence and, after weighing up his options, the France international found the bottom left-hand corner with a deft low shot.
And soon the points were seeming wrapped up when Vidal's deft header from another Robben header was given by Grafe despite Die Kraichgauer's best efforts to clear it off the line.
Hoffenheim continued to press for a third goal to sent up a frantic finish, but it was their former star Sandro Wagner who had the last laugh - the striker nodding home from close range to help stretch Bayern's lead at the summit to a seemingly insurmountable 17 points.
