Bayern Munich managed to capitalize on Dortmund’s mishap against Frankfurt to bridge the gap at the top as the Bavarians snatched all three points against Hamburg on the late night Saturday game. Hamburg were looking very brave throughout the first half, but a harsh decision from the ref saw Gideon Jung being sent off just before the halftime, which changed the complexion of the game.
Bayern went out all guns blazing in the second half, and eventually scored the only goal of the game through Corentin Tolisso. The record German champions now trail Dortmund only by an inferior goal difference.
Here are the Bayern Munich players rated in their win over Hamburg.
Sven Ulreich (8/10): Didn’t have much to do but made an excellent save in the first half to keep out Hamburg. A rather easy outing for the former Stuttgart keeper.
Rafinha (7.5/10): The Brazilian replaced Joshua Kimmich as the right back and put in a decent shift. Rafinha looked quite comfortable against the Hamburg attackers throughout the ninety minutes.
Niklas Sule (7.5/10): Not the most perfect match for the former TSG defender but Sule remained solid throughout the match to prevent Hamburg finding the equalizer.
Mats Hummels (7/10): Looked out of shape against a high octane Hamburg attack. The former Dortmund defender failed to assert his dominance in the backline.
David Alaba (8/10): Another good game for the Austrian fullback who stayed strong on the left side and was also helpful in the offensive department as well. His partnership with Kingsley Coman on the left flank was eye-catching.
Arturo Vidal (8.5/10): A strong and quality performance from the Chilean International, whose physicality made it hard for the home side to take control of the midfield. His passing was also top notch, which helped Bayern circulate the ball with ease.
Corentin Tolisso (9/10): Arguably the most influential figure throughout the game. Tolisso performed very well in the centre of the pitch. He was involved in almost everything as Die Rothosen found it difficult to deal with the Frenchman. He was the one who scored the winner to snatch all three points for Bayern in the second half.
Arjen Robben (8/10): Looked very promising whenever he was on the ball. Robben was proving to be very dangerous on the right-hand side, as the home side battled hard to keep him quiet.
James Rodriguez (6.5/10): Not the most eye-catching performance from the Colombian. James was hardly involved in anything for Bayern in the attack and got subbed off after the end of the first half.
Kingsley Coman (9/10): Wreaked havoc on the left side as the Frenchman was involved in every single Bayern attack on the night. Coman made some mazy runs to keep the defence occupied as well as putting in dangerous crosses. The youngster continues to perform well under new coach Jupp Heynckes.
Robert Lewandowski (7.5/10): Failed to provide much influence and was largely kept quiet by the sturdy Hamburg defence. Although he troubled the opposition defence later on in the second half but not enough to find himself the customary goal.
Subs
Thomas Muller (NA): Replaced James Rodriguez at the start of the second half but unfortunately, he took a knock just ten minutes after the 2nd half, so he had to be subbed off.
Thiago Alcantara (8.5/10): Replaced Thomas Muller after he got injured in the 55th minute and it was a blessing in disguise for the Bavarians. The Spanish midfield magister made an instant impact, with his sensational passing range and excellent shots. He hit the bar once and also provided some delicious balls into the box.
Joshua Kimmich (NA): Came on for Kingsley Coman in the dying moments of the game in an attempt to sneak out a few seconds.
