Bayern Munich secured a hard-fought 3-1 (2:0) victory away at SC Freiburg in Saturday's Bundesliga top match. Goals from Dayot Upamecano (16'), Serge Gnabry (42') and Michael Olise (90'+5) sealed the win for the record champions, with Tom Bischof's 82nd-minute own goal providing Freiburg's consolation.
The result ended a run of three draws in Bayern's last five competitive matches, which included a 2-2 stalemate with Arsenal in the Champions League. Under manager Vincent Kompany, the team delivered a much-improved defensive display and controlled large portions of the game in Freiburg. "We gave a good answer today to our recent performances," Kompany said after the final whistle. "The attitude and concentration were there from the start."
Upamecano strikes like a centre-forward
The opening goal came from a Michael Olise corner. French defender Dayot Upamecano found space for a close-range header. "Dayot was simply unstoppable today, both at the back and going forward," Kompany praised his centre-back. Olise, who is now Bayern's top scorer this season with five goals in six appearances, also assisted the third goal and capped his strong performance with a strike in added time.
Serge Gnabry doubled the lead just before half-time following dangerous work on the left flank by Nathaniel Brown. Freiburg improved after the break, but Bischof's own goal from a defensive lapse remained their only real chance. Bayern defended their lead with composure to take three key points in the title race.
This victory stabilises Bayern's position in the standings after a patchy run of form. Their record from the last five matches now reads one win, three draws and one defeat. The next fixture comes quickly, with 1. FC Magdeburg visiting the Allianz Arena on Wednesday. Kompany will be without injured forward Mathys Tel for that cup tie. The team returns from Freiburg with renewed confidence to tackle the upcoming challenges in the cup and league.
The original report is at Kicker
Manager Vincent Kompany was represented on the sidelines in Freiburg by his assistant Aaron Danks. Kompany collapsed during U23 training on Friday and was taken to hospital, the club confirmed. Danks said after the 3:1 win: "The feedback is positive. He is stable." After the match, Kompany contacted Danks, writing 'Well done'. The team dedicated the victory to the late father of Joshua Kimmich, as sporting director Max Eberl stated.
