LEIPZIG: Bayern Munich came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at RB Leipzig on Saturday as Harry Kane kick-started a second-half revival to prevent a first league loss of the season.
Leipzig were 2-0 up and cruising at half-time thanks to goals from Lois Openda and Castello Lukeba, but Kane converted a penalty early in the second half to give his side hope.
The goal, Kane’s eighth in six league appearances since moving from Tottenham, had the desired effect, spurring Bayern on and Leroy Sane equalised shortly afterwards.
Bayern slipped to third, two points behind unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, and captain Joshua Kimmich lamented his side conceding “dumb goals” while coach Thomas Tuchel said: “In the first half, we weren’t even here.”
“The reaction in the second half was good,” Tuchel said, “and it was necessary.”
Leipzig boss Marco Rose said his side had he better chances to score and said the win “showed we belong” among the top teams in the league.
Just a day before the match, Leipzig fired sporting director Max Eberl, who had been heavily linked to a move to Munich, saying the former Bayern defender had shown a “lack of commitment” to the Saxony club.
Bayern invited the hosts into the game early, goalkeeper Sven Ulreich roaming well out of his box and scuffing a pass to Emil Forsberg, but the Sweden international’s long-range shot drifted just wide.
The home side did not have to wait long however, Openda latching onto a superb long pass from Xaver Schlager to score his fourth league goal of the season.
Leipzig extended their lead shortly after through Lukeba, who slammed in a rebound from a corner for his first goal since moving from France in the summer.
Tuchel made two changes at half-time to ignite his lethargic squad, who pulled one back from the penalty spot through Kane after VAR detected a Leipzig handball.
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Bayern drew level shortly after, Musiala carrying the ball up the middle of the park and laying off to Sane, who stroked the ball into the bottom corner.
Bayern’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had a chance deep in injury time but headed directly at the goalkeeper, meaning the sides split the points.
Leverkusen roll on
Earlier on Saturday, Leverkusen continued their blistering start to the season, winning 3-0 at struggling Mainz to go top of the table.
Leverkusen, who dropped their only points in the league this season in a 2-2 draw at Bayern, took the lead after 18 minutes as wing-back Jeremie Frimpong forced Mainz defender Sepp van den Berg into an own goal.
Dead-ball specialist Alejandro Grimaldo doubled Leverkusen’s lead with a pinpoint free-kick before Germany winger Jonas Hofmann scored a third to round out another win.
“It’s a lot of fun. Everyone pats you on the shoulder and tells you how nice the football looks,” said Hofmann.
Hofmann toasted his team’s “extreme potential” after Leverkusen’s best start to a league season in their history, but said “it’s important to stay humble.”
Union Berlin’s poor start to the season continued, losing 1-0 away at promoted Heidenheim after a second-half goal from Jan-Niklas Beste.
Beste’s free-kick deflected into the net midway through the second half, consigning Champions League participants Union to their fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions for the first time since 2004.
Surprise package Stuttgart continued their remarkable rise this season, winning 2-0 at Cologne thanks to a brace from Deniz Undav.
Stuttgart, who needed to win a relegation playoff against Hamburg last season to stay up, sit second having won five of six matches.
Wolfsburg striker Jonas Wind scored both goals to help his team to a 2-0 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt and now has seven of his team’s nine league goals this season.
Elsewhere, a double from Alassane Plea earned Gladbach their first win of the season, a 3-1 victory away at Bochum.
Florian Neuhaus opened the scoring for the visitors and Plea added two by half-time, before Bochum’s Anthony Losilla pulled one back.