Bundesliga Matchday 12 Review: Late Drama and Key Victories

Matchday 12 in the Bundesliga featured thrilling late goals, crucial victories, and significant implications for teams as they head into December. Here’s a recap of the key moments and talking points from the day.

In the encounter between Bayern Munich and St. Pauli, St. Pauli’s manager, Alexander Blessin, acknowledged that his team would need a stroke of luck to secure a result. Remarkably, they nearly achieved this after taking an early lead in the 6th minute through Andréas Hountondji, marking the Burnley loanee’s fourth goal of the season. Bayern dominated possession but could only equalize just before halftime with a goal from Raphaël Guerreiro.

Despite hitting the woodwork three times and struggling in front of goal, Bayern finally broke through in stoppage time. Luis Diaz scored in the 93rd minute, and Nicolas Jackson added a third in the 97th minute, sealing a 3-1 victory that belied St. Pauli’s commendable performance. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany praised Diaz’s ability to create opportunities in chaotic situations, highlighting the difficulties defenders face against such players.

Thanks to results elsewhere, Bayern extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points, while St. Pauli languished at 17th with nine consecutive losses.

In another fixture, Borussia Dortmund edged out Bayer Leverkusen with a 2-1 victory in a tense and largely uneventful match. The scoring began with a header from Aaron Anselimon following a free kick, giving Dortmund a 1-0 lead. Substitute Fabio Silva then assisted Karim Adeyemi for the second goal, marking Adeyemi’s third consecutive match with a goal.

Leverkusen made a late push and pulled one back in the 83rd minute through Christian Kofane, but Dortmund held on for the win. This result solidified Dortmund’s position in third place, just one point behind RB Leipzig. Aarón Anselmino stood out for Dortmund, prompting discussions about making his loan from Chelsea a permanent arrangement.

On Sunday, Hamburger SV secured a vital 2-1 win over VfB Stuttgart, despite playing with ten men after Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit received a red card late in the match. Robert Glatzel scored in the 17th minute, marking his first top-flight start in over four years. Deniz Undav equalized for Stuttgart, but Fábio Vieira scored a dramatic winner for HSV in the 96th minute, bringing much-needed joy to the club.

HSV coach Merlin Polzin reflected on the significance of the evening and the upcoming challenges, including northern derbies against Holstein Kiel and Werder Bremen.

Meanwhile, FC Heidenheim registered a crucial 1-2 victory against Union Berlin, lifting them off the bottom of the table, while Hoffenheim impressed with a solid 3-0 win against FC Augsburg, placing them in 5th position. Freiburg achieved a dominant 4-0 victory over Mainz 05, moving into 8th place as Mainz sunk to the bottom with only one win this season.

The matchday concluded with draws between Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Leipzig (0-0), Werder Bremen and FC Köln (1-1), and Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg (1-1).

Overall, Matchday 12 provided a captivating view into the fierce competition of the Bundesliga as teams vie for their respective ambitions.