Bundesliga 2023-24: Bayern Munich beats Cologne 2-0 to delay Leverkusen’s title celebrations

Bayern Munich struck twice in the second half to earn a 2-0 win over Cologne on Saturday and bounce back from two straight league losses ahead of its Champions League return leg against Arsenal next week.

With Bundesliga leader Bayer Leverkusen 13 points ahead and poised to wrap up its first league title with a win over Werder Bremen on Sunday, Bayern’s only hopes of silverware this season rests with the Champions League following its 2-2 draw in the first leg in London.

With five league matches left, Bayern is second in the Bundesliga on 63 points. VfB Stuttgart, third on 60, host Eintracht Frankfurt later on Saturday.

RB Leipzig, 3-0 winners over VfL Wolfsburg, is fourth on 56, ahead on goal difference of Borussia Dortmund, who face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next week.

Bayern, buoyed by its midweek performance in London, came out fighting from the start and carved out a half dozen golden chances, including twice hitting the woodwork through Harry Kane and Mathys Tel in a dominant first half.

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There was bad news for Thomas Tuchel’s team five minutes after the restart, however, with winger Kingsley Coman taken off injured, clutching his right thigh.

The France international had only come back two weeks ago after an almost two-month absence following a knee ligament injury.

The Bavarians finally broke the deadlock through Raphael Guerreiro’s superbly curled shot in the 65th minute from 20 metres out.

Bayern still needed an 89th-minute save from keeper Sven Ulreich to protect its lead before Thomas Mueller scored in stoppage time from a Cologne defensive error to seal the win.