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Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Bayern Munich 0: Guardiola´s side lose 100 per cent Bundesliga record

SoccerNews in Bundesliga 30 Oct 2015

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Champions Bayern Munich failed to maintain their 100 per cent start to the Bundesliga season as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Eintracht Frankfurt.

Pep Guardiola’s men went into Friday’s meeting at the Commerzbank Arena off the back of 10 consecutive top-flight victories, but Bayern were unable to break down Armin Veh’s resilient side and keep the winning run alive.

Bayern controlled possession from the off, but, after Arturo Vidal had a header tipped over by goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky early on, they struggled to create goal-scoring opportunities.

Javi Martinez nodded wide, Douglas Costa was denied by Hradecky early in the second half and Robert Lewandowski had an effort rightly disallowed for offside late on as Frankfurt – defeated in their previous six encounters with Bayern – held firm.

The stalemate was the first time in 13 Bundesliga outings that Bayern have failed to score and could now see their lead at the summit cut to five points if Borussia Dortmund win at Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Bayern dominated possession in the opening stages, but did not test Hradecky until the 11th minute, when a great reflex save diverted Vidal’s header over.

Haris Seferovic skewed wide from 20 yards a minute later following a counter-attack, but the pace and dribbling of Costa, Arjen Robben and Kingsley Coman kept Frankfurt largely penned back.

However, Lewandowski was not able to connect with a delivery from one of the wide areas until he looped a cross from Coman into Hradecky’s arms following a poor touch midway through the first half.

Veh’s side packed their defence tightly, but Marc Stendera conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area by following a foul on Costa on the half-hour mark. Robben’s subsequent delivery was flicked on by the head of Martinez, with the ball dropping narrowly wide.

Bayern continued to struggle to create openings, but Frankfurt’s stern resistance was almost broken within 10 seconds of the restart.

A slip from Carlos Zambrano put Costa one-on-one with Hradecky, but the keeper came out on top with another great save, this time from an outstretched leg.

In a bid to add more ingenuity to his side, Guardiola introduced Thomas Muller in place of Rafinha in the 51st minute.

Within three minutes, though, Frankfurt had two chances to break the deadlock.

Alexander Meier nudged wide following a corner before Stendera was unable to capitalise on a poor attempted clearance from Manuel Neuer, with the keeper parrying his scuffed volley aside.

Lewandowski remained in the hunt for a goal, but wasted a great chance to secure the three points for Bayern when he skewed wide from the edge of the area after latching onto Robben’s pass over the top of the defence.

Robben was then booked for simulation inside the Frankfurt box five minutes from time, displaying Bayern’s desperation and frustration.

Lewandowski thought he had won it for Bayern in the 89th minute when he stabbed beyond Hradecky after superbly controlling an aerial pass, only to see the offside flag correctly raised by the official on the far side as Guardiola’s men had to settle for the point.

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