MUNICH, Germany — Harry Kane limped off injured as Bayern Munich was held to a 1-1 draw at home by champion Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Robert Andrich put the visiting side ahead after 31 minutes in Munich, but Aleksandar Pavlovic pulled leader Bayern level eight minutes later with an incredible long-range shot.
England captain Kane, who was largely anonymous in front of goal, hobbled off with a foot injury after a collision with Leverkusen’s Amine Adli four minutes from the final whistle.
Coach Vincent Kompany said it was “too early” to know the extent of the injury, but he was hopeful Kane would be fit for Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Aston Villa.
“I don’t have the exact information, but hopefully it’s just a bit of pain and we’ll get him back this week,” said Kompany.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl added: “When Harry leaves the field it means something, because he’s pretty tough.
” (The incident) doesn’t look good, but we hope he’s made out of strong English wood and that nothing’s broken.”
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry hit the woodwork twice in the second half, but Leverkusen held on for a draw.
“We deserved more, definitely,” said Bayern captain Manuel Neuer.
“We were clearly the better team and had the better chances. The goal we conceded was frustrating.”
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was happy, though.
“Against Bayern you need to be disciplined and make sacrifices,” he said, adding “that was the style and manner we needed to play here today.
“We were serious, restricted their chances, and I’m happy with the point.”
Bayern had been champion for 11 years before Alonso’s Leverkusen turned German soccer on its head last season, becoming the first side to complete an unbeaten league and cup double.
The host was completely dominant early, with its best chance coming from a 19th-minute freekick, which Michael Olise curled inches over.
Leverkusen took the lead against the run of play however, Andrich smashing in a low shot from a corner after a Pavlovic error.
Despite bossing field position, Bayern’s equalizer came through a stunning shot from well outside the box, Pavlovic making good on his error with a superb curling effort.
The host started the second half like it did the first, Gnabry hitting the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds after a classy Kane pass.
In the final minutes, both sides seemed content to hold on for a draw, but while Bayern remains three points clear of Leverkusen, Kane’s late injury will be a worry ahead of a packed fixture schedule.
Earlier, Benjamin Sesko scored twice in five minutes as RB Leipzig’s young attack combined superbly to beat Augsburg 4-0 at home.
Sesko struck twice and laid on an assist for fellow 21-year-old Xavi Simons, who himself assisted a goal for 24-year-old Lois Openda.
Augsburg’s best chance of the game came when it had a penalty saved midway through the first half.
Leipzig coach Marco Rose credited his team’s “belief in ourselves”, saying “we were anything but happy” after a three-game winless run.
Last year’s runner-up Stuttgart came back to earth after Sunday’s 5-1 demolition of Borussia Dortmund, needing a stoppage-time Deniz Undav goal to snatch a 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg.
AFP