Arjen Robben scored a superb solo goal in the 95th-minute to seal Bayern Munich’s dramatic 5-4 comeback win at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga’s electric top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded Bayern, who were already confirmed German league champions for the fifth straight year, found themselves 4-3 down on 90 minutes until David Alaba drilled home a 91st-minute free-kick.
Robben, 33, then proved he still had the legs to sprint clear of the defence as his winning goal capped a superb run.
It was heartbreak for second-placed RB Leipzig, who were minutes from avenging their 3-0 defeat at Bayern’s Allianz Arena last December.
Bayern’s last-gasp victory leaves them 13 points clear in the table and captain Philipp Lahm will lift the Bundesliga trophy after next Saturday’s home match against Freiburg.
Leipzig’s Timo Werner netted twice and with 21 league goals he is the Bundesliga’s best German striker and a shoe-in when Germany’s squad for next month’s Confederations Cup is announced on Wednesday.
In the race to be the league’s top-scorer, Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski also scored twice to leave him on 30 goals, one more than nearest rival, Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with a game left.
The first goal came after just 65 seconds when Leipzig’s Marcel Sabitzer headed home, then Werner hit the post on 12 minutes.
Bayern drew level when a Lahm cross clipped the arm of defender Bernardo and Lewandowski drilled home the penalty on 16 minutes.
Hosts Leipzig restored the lead when Xabi Alonso fouled RB’s playmaker Emil Forsberg and Werner netted home the spot kick.
Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen made it 3-1 to Leipzig just after the break when his shot wrong-footed Bayern’s third-choice goalkeeper Tom Starke after clipping Alonso’s boot.
But Bayern stayed in touch as Thiago Alcantara headed home Alonso’s cross on 60 minutes, before Werner grabbed his second on 65 after turning Germany defender Jerome Boateng.
When Robben hit the crossbar with a free-kick on 84 minutes, Lewandowski reacted fastest to head home the rebound, which set the scene for the dramatic late goals.
Questions will be asked of Bayern’s defence, which shipped four goals for the first time since losing 4-1 at Wolfsburg in January 2015.
With Bayern and Leipzig already assured direct Champions League places, the battle rages on for the third automatic place after third-placed Dortmund drew 1-1 at Augsburg.
It means they are level on 61 points with fourth-placed Hoffenheim, who romped to a 5-3 victory at Werder Bremen with ex-Leicester City striker Andrej Kramaric scoring twice.
Hertha Berlin and sixth-placed Freiburg, who drew 1-1 at Ingolstadt, are in pole position to qualify for the Europa League next season.
Hertha are fifth after 19-year-old defender Jordan Torunarigha scored his first goal for the club after Salomon Kalou opened the scoring for the visitors with Darmstadt’s relegation already confirmed.
Ingolstadt, 17th in the table, had their relegation confirmed after Hamburg’s 1-1 draw at home to Schalke means they are four points adrift with one game left. – Agence France-Presse
