Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Hertha Berlin 3-2
at the Allianz Arena and maintain their place at the top of the Bundesliga.
Adrian Ramos gave the visitors the lead in the fourth
minute and they could have stretched that advantage before Mario Mandzukic
brought Bayern level.
A further Mandzukic effort and Mario Gotze's first goal
for Bayern in the Bundesliga appeared to have given Bayern a comfortable win,
but Anis Ben-Hatira set up a grandstand finish in which the Bavarians only just
held on.
Ramos gave a bold Berlin side the lead in the fourth
minute when he headed Per Skjelbred's cross in from a central position.
Hertha nearly doubled their lead in the 10th minute when
Ben-Hatira looked to lob Manuel Neuer, succeeding in beating the Bayern
goalkeeper, but was thwarted by the crossbar.
From the rebound, Ramos tried to turn the ball in, but
Daniel van Buyten came to his goalkeeper's rescue.
It did not look like it was going to be Bayern's day when
Toni Kroos and Arjen Robben both limped off the field in quick succession,
being replaced by Mario Gotze and Mandzukic.
Guardiola stuck the Croatian forward at the top of his
team, pulling Thomas Muller back into midfield, and within five minutes, he had
brought Bayern level.
Franck Ribery sent in a free-kick from the right to the
far post where Mandzukic was perfectly placed to nod the ball in.
The second half started like the first, with Hertha going
close. Tolga Cigerci's shot was deflected over the crossbar by Bastian
Schweinsteiger, warning Bayern that the game was not going to be any easier in
the second 45 minutes.
Ramos headed over as Hertha continued to pose a threat,
but the next goal came at the other end, and it was almost identical to their
equaliser with Mandzukic heading in a free-kick, this time from Schweinsteiger.
Guardiola's other substitute Gotze then gave Bayern a
more comfortable lead as he followed up his first goal for the club in the
Champions League in midweek with his first Bundesliga goal, a header past
Thomas Kraft.
Hertha tried to make a game of it with Ben-Hatira
reducing the arrears in the 58th minute from Nico Schulz's cross.
They had the defending champions retreating for the
remainder of the game, but were unable to find an equaliser.
Culled from Sportsbt
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