Stoppage-time goals from Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson helped secure Bayern Munich a 3-1 comeback win against a dogged St. Pauli side. Andreas Hountondji stunned the home fans into silence with a well-taken strike early on before Raphael Guerreiro restored parity just before the break. It looked like Vincent Kompany's side would have to settle for a point but Diaz and Jackson had other ideas.
Late, late show for Bayern
Bayern's efforts to make a strong start following their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in midweek did not go well when Hountondji slotted the ball past Manuel Neuer in the sixth minute after Joshua Kimmich and Konrad Laimer were caught in possession. Not long after the goalscorer limped off injured, Lennart Karl's curling effort struck the outside of the post and then Harry Kane scuffed a shot wide when in a good position. Tom Bischof was the next player to see his effort come back off the woodwork from his 20-yard deflected strike as the hosts searched for an equaliser. But the pressure told a minute before the break when Diaz somehow managed to flick the ball to Guerreiro, despite falling to the ground, and the Portugal international fired in from eight yards out. Bayern brought on Michael Olise, Josip Stanisic, Serge Gnabry, and Leon Goretzka in the second half but for all their dominance, they couldn't find a way through the stubborn visitors. Top scorer Kane was inches away from giving Bayern the lead when his toe-poked shot found its way through a crowd of bodies but the post denied Bayern again. Just when it looked like St. Pauli would earn a hard-fought point, summer signing Diaz popped up in the 93rd minute with a brilliantly timed header following a delightful cross from Kimmich. To rub more salt into the away team's wound, substitute Jackson hit the visitors on the counter in the 97th minute as Bayern extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
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While St. Pauli's defence worked their socks off and put their bodies on the line to get something from the game, Diaz proved to be the difference maker. He showed great tenacity and quick thinking for his assist and then he was in the right place at the right time to head home a stoppage-time winner.
The big loser
Who else but St.Pauli? The German minnows defended so well for so long but in the end, Bayern's quality proved too much for them. While they are still in the relegation zone, this result should give them belief that they can hang tough and grind out points when up against the ropes.
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