Second-string Bayern held by Heidenheim before PSG clash / Photo: © AFP
Second-string Bayern held by Heidenheim before PSG clash
A heavily-rotated Bayern Munich were held to a 3-3 draw at home by last-placed Heidenheim on Saturday, days out from their return Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern made seven changes to the side who lost 5-4 in a wild first leg in the French capital on Tuesday and were down 2-0 in the first half to goals from Budu Zivzivadze and Eren Dinkci.
Bayern roared back from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 last week at Mainz and this time round Leon Goretzka scored twice to level things up with half an hour remaining.
Zivzivadze scored again to put Heidenheim back in front but substitute Michael Olise scored in the 10th minute of stoppage time to snatch a point for the hosts.
Coach Vincent Kompany once again named a heavily changed line-up, leaving seven starters from Tuesday's match including Harry Kane, Olise, Joshua Kimmich and Luis Diaz on the bench.
With Heidenheim needing a win to have any chance of beating the drop, the visitors started frantically, pinning Bayern back with a series of corners.
Heidenheim broke through after 22 minutes when Zivzivadze turned the ball off the post and in from a corner.
Dinkci added another nine minutes later, storming into the box and taking a touch on a Marnon Busch pass to round Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig and tap home.
Bayern were below their best but pulled a goal back before half-time from a set-piece. With dead ball specialists Kimmich and Olise cooling their heels on the bench, Goretzka unleashed a dipping shot into the top right corner.
The goal was Goretzka's first from a free-kick since 2017 when he played for Schalke. Goretzka scored from a corner to have Bayern level but Zivzivadze's goal with 14 minutes remaining put the visitors back in front.
Olise had the last word however, scoring deep into stoppage time to make sure Bayern avoided a second league defeat of the season.
- Champions League dreaming -
Elsewhere, Tiago Tomas scored deep into stoppage time to snatch 10-man Stuttgart a 3-3 draw at top-four rivals Hoffenheim.
Club record goalscorer Andrej Kramaric bagged a brace and the impressive Bazoumana Toure scored to have Hoffenheim leading 3-1.
Ermedin Demirovic joined Chris Fuehrich on the scoresheet to give Stuttgart hope before they lost captain Atakan Karazor to a red card for an ugly tackle on Fisnik Asllani.
Hoffenheim looked on track to win a crucial three points in the Champions League race but Tomas scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to grab a share of the spoils.
Stuttgart and Hoffenheim are locked on 58 points, four behind RB Leipzig who can make sure of Champions League qualification with a win at Bayer Leverkusen later on Saturday.
Union Berlin fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home with Cologne and pick up coach Marie-Louise Eta's first point in charge of the club.
One-time Union forward Marius Buelter and Germany winger Said El Mala scored for the visitors, but Tom Rothe cut the deficit before Livan Burcu's 89th-minute goal levelled the scores.
Augsburg cruised to a 3-1 win at Werder Bremen, while Hamburg all but guaranteed top-division football next season with a 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.
S.al-Majed--BT
