Kenyan midfielder features in Bayern Munich’s dramatic title winner

STARS ABROAD Kenyan midfielder features in Bayern Munich’s dramatic title winner

Imran Otieno • 18:31 - 27.05.2023

The Kenyan has had an outstanding season, scoring three goals and providing 10 assists.

Bonkers and berserk were words that came close to encapsulating the final day dramatic Bundesliga win for Bayern Munich in the 2-1 win over Kenyan midfielder Linton Maina’s FC Koln.

Heading into the season's final game, the title race was taken down to the wire with Borussia Dortmund sitting at the summit with 70 points while their sworn enemies Bayern trailed by two points.

This meant that Bayern needed a favour from former Thomas Tuchel’s side, Mainz who faced Dortmund in the season-ender with the latter looking to end their 11-year wait for the league title.

Bayern had the perfect start to the game as it only took them eight minutes to break the deadlock through Kingsley Coman who cut in from the left flank to unleash a thunderbolt that rippled the net.

The early goal settled the nerves for Bayern as soon after, Andreas Hanche-Olsen broke the deadlock for Mainz at the Signal Iduna Park which left Dortmund trailing.

Bayern continued to dominate proceedings but lacked the cutting edge to find the second goal but Mainz did them a huge favour as they netted the second in the 24th minute through Karim Onisiwo.

The reigning German champions thought they had gone into the break with a 2-0 lead after Leroy Sane found the back of the net but VAR chalked off his goal for a handball in the build-up.

Tables turned in the second half as Koln began to dictate possession and created a number of chances that they failed to take.

Elsewhere at the Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund pulled one goal back through Raphael Guerreiro which injected nerves to the Bayern side.

Koln were awarded a penalty in the 81st minute after Serge Gnabry handled the ball in at the edge of the area which was converted by Dejan Ljubicic.

Maina who started the game was rested in the 82nd minute as head coach Steffen Baumgart introduced Tim Lemperle in his place.

Bayern huffed and puffed in the final five minutes of the game as they took the lead in the 89th minute through substitute Jamal Musiala who had just been on the pitch for four minutes.

Bayern held on for the win as their players formed a hurdle to watch the Dortmund game and briefly had a premature celebration but ultimately Mainz picked a 2-2 draw courtesy of Niklas Sule's Dortmund equalizer in the 96th minute.