Kompany backs Neuer after early error in Bayern Munich draw

Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany defended Manuel Neuer after the goalkeeper’s mistake led to Augsburg scoring after only eight seconds in Saturday’s 2-2 Bundesliga draw at WWK ARENA.

The result came in the fifth round of the German top flight, with Bayern twice coming from behind after Augsburg made the fastest start in Bundesliga history.

“I was actually looking at the other side of the pitch when it happened,” Kompany said of Neuer’s error at his post-match news conference. “I know what it is like for a player; these things happen.

“If he were a goalkeeper who was 20 years old, then as a coach you would have work to do with him. But Manu is around my age and he knows how to deal with the situation.”

Kompany said Bayern had to move on from the result rather than dwell on the moments that had cost them points.

“We always stand together as a team,” he added. “The match is over now and we cannot change it. Only the next game matters now.”

The Bayern manager declined to say whether Jonas Urbig could start in goal against Norwegian side Viking on Tuesday in the Champions League.

“I will not say anything about that,” Kompany said. “We have just played. The focus was only on Augsburg. We will see about the next match.”

Kompany dismisses offside controversy

Kompany also addressed the decision to rule out a goal scored by Luis Diaz for offside, as well as three other Bayern goals that were disallowed for the same reason.

“Offside is offside,” he said. “We do not need to make everything more complicated than it already is.”

He described the match as one decided by fine margins, while acknowledging that Bayern had contributed to their own difficulties.

“It was a day when everything was decided by details and millimetres,” said Kompany. “We also blame ourselves in some situations. It was a great match for the spectators.

“Our fans celebrated six times, but only two goals counted. It was an emotional match.”

Augsburg took the lead through Robin Fellhauer with the fastest goal in Bundesliga history. Bayern levelled through Ismael Saibari in the 55th minute, but Rodrigo Ribeiro restored the hosts’ advantage nine minutes later.

Substitute Nathaniel Brown rescued a point for the visitors when he equalised in the 80th minute.

The four disallowed Bayern goals added to a match in which the visitors repeatedly saw their attacks halted by offside decisions, before Brown’s late intervention secured a share of the points.