Ismael Saibari scores as Bayern Munich held to 2-2 draw by Augsburg

Bayern Munich were held to a 2-2 draw by Augsburg in the Bavarian derby on Saturday, with Ismael Saibari scoring the equaliser in a match featuring four disallowed goals for offside and a difficult afternoon for goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

The result leaves Bayern with points dropped in the Bundesliga title race, after they had to recover from conceding almost immediately. Robin Fellhauer put Augsburg ahead after just six seconds, forcing the visitors to spend most of the match trying to overturn the early deficit.

Saibari started as Bayern’s number 10 and played a decisive role in their fightback. The first half ended without any further goals, although Bayern thought they had levelled shortly after the interval when Luis Diaz found the net.

That effort was ruled out following a VAR review, but Bayern were not behind for long. Saibari restored parity in the 51st minute with a composed finish after an excellent first touch, guiding his shot accurately into the corner of the net.

The momentum did not last. Augsburg regained the lead when Rodrigo Ribeiro capitalised on a ball that Neuer had failed to clear convincingly, adding to an error-strewn display from the Bayern goalkeeper.

Bayern eventually avoided defeat through Nathaniel Brown, who scored the second equaliser in the 80th minute. The Munich side continued to create opportunities as they searched for a winner, but could not complete the comeback.

Serge Gnabry appeared to have given Bayern the decisive goal in stoppage time, only for that effort to be disallowed for offside. It was the fourth goal to be ruled out on those grounds during a lively encounter.

The draw will be viewed as a missed opportunity for Bayern in their pursuit of the title. For Saibari, however, the match provided a notable personal moment as he responded in an advanced role behind Harry Kane and helped his side recover from a disastrous start.