Bundesliga wrap: Lucky Leverkusen take down Bayern

Bayer Leverkusen have ended Bayern Munich’s 100 percent start to the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win away from home thanks to a fortunate goal.

With the score locked at 1-1 in the 87th minute, the visitors from Leverkusen pushed forward and a cross from the right found Sidney Sam. Although Sam’s header was off target, it cannoned off Jerome Boateng’s head, wrong-footing Manuel Neuer and rolling into the net.

The goal clinched victory for Leverkusen, their first win in Munich in 23 years, and takes them up to fifth on the Bundesliga table with 15 points.

For Bayern, who are coached by former Leverkusen boss Jupp Heynckes, Sunday’s result ended their 100 percent start to the season after they set a new record last week with their eighth win in a row.

Leverkusen took the lead in the 42nd minute when a flowing move through midfield saw their skipper Simon Rolfes release Andre Schurrle on the right-hand side of the penalty area and the winger passed the ball to the back post where Bayern captain Phillip Lahm missed his clearance allowing Stefan Kiessling to score.

Bayern dominated the game with 15 shots on target to the visitors’ four but did not hit the back of the net until the 77th minute.

The home team dragged themselves level when substitute Claudio Pizarro received a pass from Arjen Robben, twisted past a defender in the box and crossed to Mario Mandzukic, who headed in his seventh goal of the season.

But Leverkusen snatched the three points when Gonzalo Castro crossed to Sam and Boateng provided the unfortunate intervention.

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga with 24 points, ahead of Schalke (20) and Eintracht Frankfurt (19).

The latter, who have stunned Germany with their brilliant start to the season having only just come up from the second division, suffered just their second defeat of the season in a 2-1 away loss to Stuttgart.

In the other Bundesliga match on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach stunned Hannover 3-2 after they trailed by two goals from the 53rd minute.

Jan Schlaudraff and Mame Biram Diouf gave the home side a 2-0 lead with goals either side of half-time.

But after Alvaro Dominguez struck for Gladbach in the 70th minute, the visitors scored two more times in the next nine minutes to win the game.

Roel Brouwers and Juan Arango struck for Gladbach as they won their third match of the campaign to move up to ninth with 12 points, just one point above Hannover, who dropped to 10th.