Defending champions Bayern Munich suffered a shock defeat in only their second Bundesliga game of the season on Friday when they were stunned 2-0 by 10-man Kaiserslautern, the league’s new boys.
Having won the second division last season, Kaiserslautern beat Cologne last weekend and have now claimed the scalp of defending champions Bayern with goals by Ivo Ilicevic and Srdjan Lakic, who has now scored three goals in two games.
In stoppage-time, striker Ilicevic was sent off for a second yellow card, but it did little to spoil Kaiserslautern’s party.
PHOTO: EPA
“We wanted to stand up to Bayern,” Ilicevic said. “We implemented the game plan well and deserved to win. We made life difficult for Bayern.”
Champions League finalists Bayern were punished for a lethargic opening 45 minutes at Kaiserslautern’s notorious Fritz Walter Stadion.
“Over 90 minutes, we were the superior team and had the better scoring chances,” Bayern defender Philipp Lahm said. “We shouldn’t have lost like that today. If you lose, you have done something wrong and we have to accept that.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
Munich’s Thomas Mueller wasted a golden chance to put his side ahead when Bastian Schweinsteiger’s pass put him one-on-one with Kaiserslautern goalkeeper Tobias Sippel on 24 minutes, but he fired just wide.
Bayern were then floored by two goals in less then two minutes, with Ilicevic playing a huge part in both.
The first came when defender Florian Dick got the better of Franck Ribery and knocked in a cross that striker Adam Nemec left for Ilicevic to fire past Bayern goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt on 36 minutes.
Seconds later, the Croatian then supplied the final pass which split the Munich defense and allowed Lakic to slot past Butt for his third Bundesliga goal in two games after his pair against Cologne the previous weekend.
Munich stepped up their efforts after the break, but between them forwards Ivica Olic and Miroslav Klose squandered a string of chances, while Ribery and Schweinsteiger were frustrated by Kaiserslautern’s cast-iron defense.
With an hour played, leftback Contento made way for Croatia’s Danijel Pranjic and Toni Kroos came on for striker Olic, and the Germany midfielder nearly scored on 66 minutes when he fired straight at the goalkeeper.
With 15 minutes left, Brazilian defender Rodnei wasted a chance to make it 3-0 to Kaiserslautern when he headed wide, but the hosts were not to be denied a famous victory as their fans began the party on the final whistle.
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