The Bundesliga restarted Friday after its unprecedented two-month winter break with Bayern Munich and Leipzig grinding out an error-strewn 1-1 draw.
Leipzig defender Marcel Halstenberg equalized after Eric Maxim Choupo-MotingтАЩs first-half strike as third-place Leipzig stayed six points behind league leader Bayern.
тАЬAfter a two-month break there were things we did well and other things we could have done better,тАЭ Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said. тАЬWe were a bit too hectic in the final third.тАЭ
Goalkeeper Yann Sommer made his Bayern debut following his transfer from Borussia M├╢nchengladbach as the injured Manuel NeuerтАЩs replacement on Thursday, but the Swiss goalkeeper had little opportunity to shine in a lackluster encounter.
тАЬI was so looking forward to it,тАЭ Sommer said. тАЬOf course, a new team, and I’m a new goalkeeper, so it wasn’t always perfect, but it was fun. We’d have liked to have won.тАЭ
The German leagueтАЩs winter break was extended to accommodate the World Cup, which was itself moved mid-season to avoid the searing summer temperatures in Qatar.
Bayern, which also had its winter training camp in the Persian Gulf country, enjoyed the better start with Serge GnabryтАЩs deflected shot hitting the post and Leon Goretzka having a goal ruled out for offside.
Gnabry crossed for Choupo-Moting to finally break the deadlock in the 37th.
Halstenberg equalized early in the second half, but Bayern players were unhappy about a perceived foul on Joshua Kimmich from Andr├й Silva in the buildup. Goretzka was booked for over-protesting. Kimmich’s careless clearance beforehand was more to blame.
The draw leaves Bayern five points clear of second-place Freiburg, which visits Wolfsburg on Saturday. Bayern is chasing a record-extending 11th-straight German championship title.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
