Hat-trick hero Dodi Lukebakio bags last gasp Bayern Munich draw

Troubled Bayern slip to nine points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, who secured a 2-1 win over Mainz thanks to a late Lukasz Piszczek winner.
Duesseldorf's Dodi Lukebakio gestures after scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. | AP
Duesseldorf's Dodi Lukebakio gestures after scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. | AP

BERLIN: Dodi Lukebakio left struggling Bayern Munich shellshocked on Saturday after scoring a hat-trick to lead lowly Fortuna Duesseldorf to a sensational comeback from two goals down and snatch a dramatic 3-3 draw in the third minute of added time.

Troubled Bayern slip to nine points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, who secured a 2-1 win over Mainz thanks to a late Lukasz Piszczek winner, after Belgian striker Lukebakio completed his hat-trick with two goals in the final 13 minutes to rob Bayern of what had seemed to be a routine three points.

Niklas Suele opened the scoring for Bayern on 17 minutes, and Thomas Mueller doubled the lead with a typical poacher’s finish a few minutes later, bringing down a long ball in the box and bundling it past goalkeeper Michael Rensing.

Duesseldorf snatched a surprise goal just before half-time as Lukebakio popped up in the box to fire the ball in from close range.

Mueller appeared to have crushed the resistance in the second half, when he swept in Bayern’s third from the edge of the box after a clever back-heeled assist from Robert Lewandowski. Yet Lukebakio twice beat the offside trap to score two late goals and leave Bayern stunned.

- Dortmund consolidate -

Leaders Dortmund took the lead at Mainz through substitute Paco Alcacer in the 66th minute, but Colin Quaison levelled the scores almost immediately, taking advantage of a lucky deflection in the build-up.

Piszczek spared Dortmund’s blushes on 77 minutes, smashing the ball in off the bar to seal the three points and open up a nine-point lead over reigning champions Bayern.

Bayern remain a point behind fourth-placed Leipzig, who lost 1-0 away to Wolfsburg, Jerome Roussillon’s second-half winner decided a hard-fought game, and ended a five-game run of clean sheets for Leipzig.

Goals flew in elsewhere, as Hertha Berlin also fought back from 3-1 down to grab a dramatic draw over Hoffenheim.

Hoffenheim exploded into the game, taking the lead through Kerem Demirbay after just 25 seconds. They doubled the lead nine minutes later as Andrej Kramaric found space behind the back line and smashed in a fine half-volley.

The Berliners struck back quickly, Vedad Ibisevic prodding in a loose ball just two minutes later. Ermin Bicakcic headed in a deserved third for Hoffenheim in the second half, before Davie Selke put Hertha back in the game on 71 minutes and Valentino Lazaro blasted in the equaliser three minutes from time.

Eintracht Frankfurt also took an early lead against Augsburg, Jonathan de Guzman finding the net after only 53 seconds.

The visitors burst out of the blocks again in the second half, Sebastien Haller slotting the ball home after Luka Jovic’s curling through ball had unlocked the Augsburg defence. 

Ante Rebic sealed the victory with a tap-in before Sergio Cordova netted a late consolation goal for the hosts.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com