Bayern Munich’s midfielder Joshua Kimmich (L) heads the first goal for Munich against Cologne’s goalkeeper Timo Horn (R) during a German first division Bundesliga football match on October 1, 2016 (AFP Photo/Christof Stache)
BERLIN, Germany, Oct 1 – Leaders Bayern Munich dropped their first Bundesliga points of the season on Saturday as their 1-1 draw at home to Cologne denied Carlo Ancelotti a record-equalling sixth straight win.
Joshua Kimmich’s first-half header at Munich’s Allianz Arena was cancelled out by Anthony Modeste’s volley to break the Bavarian giants’ 100 percent record in the league this season.
It meant Ancelotti missed out on equalling the Bundesliga record of six straight wins for a coach in his debut season in Germany’s top flight.
“We were good in the first half and controlled the game, then we lost the cohesion and order in our game,” admitted Ancelotti.
“We haven’t played well in the last two matches, but we have to keep going after the international break.”
Cologne could easily have claimed a rare win in Munich.
Simon Zoller sprinted clear of the defence and his shot beat Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but rolled agonisingly past the post two minutes into injury time.
Ancelotti made seven changes to the side which lost 1-0 at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Only Manuel Neuer, Javi Martinez, Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski kept their starting places.
“I don’t think we have rotated too much,” added Ancelotti when asked if his policy of rotation had been a factor.
“I trust all my players and a few were tired, so it was appropriate to rotate.”
Bayern took the lead on 40 minutes when left-back Juan Bernat skipped through a tackle to deliver a superb cross, which Kimmich launched himself at to head the ball home past Cologne goalkeeper Timo Horn.
The visitors drew level on 63 minutes when Modeste volleyed Marcel Risse’s cross over Neuer.
It was only the second goal Bayern had conceded at home this season in five games at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern could have gone back in front, but Germany star Thomas Mueller was left with his head in his hands when Horn deflected his close-range shot onto the far post with 76 minutes gone.
The result leaves Bayern three points clear while fourth-placed Cologne preserve their unbeaten record this season.
With Borussia Dortmund playing Bayer Leverkusen later on Saturday, Hertha Berlin took their chance to claim second place with a 2-0 win at home to Hamburg.
Vedad Ibisevic’s scrambled shot gave Hertha a first-half lead at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium before he also converted a second-half penalty.
Hamburg stumbled to their fifth straight defeat and their first under new coach Markus Gisdol after Bruno Labbadia was sacked last week.
Along with Bayern, Cologne and RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim remain one of the four unbeaten Bundesliga teams after their 2-1 win at Ingolstadt, achieved thanks to first-half goals by Sandro Wagner and Kerem Demirbay.
Having drawn four of their six games this season, Hoffenheim are seventh.
Freiburg are in mid-table after Vincenzo Grifo’s early effort gave them a 1-0 win at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Werder Bremen’s 2-2 draw at Darmstadt left them just above the relegation places.
Bremen’s Senegal defender Lamine Sane and Germany Under-21 winger Serge Gnabry, with his second since joining from Arsenal, netted their goals while Antonio-Mirko Colak scored twice for Darmstadt.
On Friday, Leipzig’s 2-1 victory at home to Augsburg saw them go a sixth game unbeaten, giving them the best start to a season by a team making it’s debut in Germany’s top flight after promotion.
