The 17-year-old Lennart Karl starred for Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga leader fought from two goals down to beat Freiburg 6-2 and match an old record on Saturday. Karl, who was making his ninth league appearance and second start, delivered a timely message to Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann before the World Cup next year by instigating Bayern’s comeback with a goal, assist and sparkling play. Michael Olise also starred by scoring two goals and setting up three more.
Bayern, which would have remained top even with a loss, matched its 52-year-old record of 43 consecutive rounds atop the league. It will beat the record regardless of the result in the game against St. Pauli next weekend, after it faces Arsenal away in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Freiburg capitalized on Bayern’s passive start with Yuito Suzuki and Johan Manzambi scoring after corners inside the first 18 minutes. It was the first time Bayern had fallen behind at home this season.
Karl replied four minutes later after controlling Olise’s ball with his left foot and scoring with his right, and the youngster returned the favor for Olise to equalize before the break.
The irrepressible Karl might have scored again after the break, only he had a would-be goal ruled out after a VAR check for offside in the buildup.
Dayot Upamecano scored from Olise’s corner and Harry Kane added to his league-leading tally on the hour mark.
Karl went off to resounding applause in the 71st after taking a knock to his hip, leaving Olise to set up substitute Nicolas Jackson for the fifth in the 78th. Olise completed the scoring in the 84th, set up by Hiroki Ito, who was making his first appearance of the season.
Stuttgart forward Deniz Undav conceded a penalty and then scored a hat trick to earn a 3-3 draw at Borussia Dortmund.
Undav was omitted from Germany’s squad for the latest World Cup qualifiers, but he has now scored five goals in his last two games for Stuttgart.
Stuttgart was better until Undav conceded the penalty for a foul on Nico Schlotterbeck.
Emre Can scored from the spot in the 34th and Maximilian Beier added another goal before the break.
Undav pulled one back with a brilliant finish with his back to goal after the break, equalized in the 71st, then drew Stuttgart level again in stoppage time after Karim Adeyemi thought he’d won it for the hosts.
After firing its coach and sporting director during the international break, Wolfsburg’s hopes of a fresh start were dealt short shrift in a 3-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen.
Borussia Mönchengladbach won 3-0 at Heidenheim, and Augsburg defeated Hamburger SV 1-0.
Jonathan Burkardt scored twice and Eintracht Frankfurt held off a late fight-back to beat Cologne 4-3 in the late game.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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