Musiala's heroics secure Bayern's triumph as BVB stumble in title race

Borussia Dortmund in 2022/23, is the biggest bottle job of the century! The Yellow-Blacks inexplicably lost at home to Mainz on the final day and thus handed the title to rivals Bayern, who won their last game of the season despite suffering late drama too. In the end, Dortmund drew 2-2 with Mainz and Bayern beat Koln 2-1 thanks to a late Jamal Musiala winner to lift their 11th consecutive season.

What a drama!

Thomas Tuchel's team got the early goal they needed in Cologne. Inside the opening ten minutes, Kingsley Coman gave them the lead with a lovely curling shot.

Mainz were "supposed to" make up the numbers at Westfalenstadion on the day Dortmund were chasing glory, but they wouldn't roll over for anyone. Instead, they struck within 15 minutes through Erling Haaland's friend Andreas Hanche-Olsen, who threaded the ball at the near post beyond Georg Kobel.

The hosts were given a chance to level shortly, but Ivorian hitman Sebastien Haller wasted a chance from the spot. The guy who overcame testicular cancer had scored each of the five penalties he took previously in the Bundesliga, all of which were for Frankfurt. The first one he took for BVB was well saved by goalkeeper Finn Dahmen. Another shock for the home crowd. And it was going to get even less pleasant for more than 80,000 present Yellow-Black fans.

With 24 minutes on the clock, Karim Onisiwo doubled the lead for Mainz and fear engulfed the stands. These people came for a title party but were staring at the abbyss instead. They waited for 11 years to win the title, entered the final matchday top of the table and only needed a victory against an average-looking Mainz side. Edin Terzic couldn't count on Jude Bellingham, but he sent on the legendary Marco Reus from the bench in an attempt to shake up this game. Besides a couple of half-chances from Julian Brandt, Raphael Guerreiro and Donyell Malen, the home team couldn't find a goal to get them back in the game.

When the half-time whistle sounded, the home crowd attempted to give their team a boost in what was the biggest 45 minutes in the last decade.

Youssoufa Moukoko replaced Marius Wolf at the break as the desperate hosts put all their resources and hopes in attack. They needed three goals in a half.

Onisiwo could have put the game beyond doubt on the hour mark, but his shot cannoned off the post.

Guerreiro gave BVB hope after a clever one-two with Gio Reyna and a low shot that bounced off the post before nestling in the net. There was at least 20 minutes to go - and Dortmund were back in it.

Some unexpected help came from Cologne, where the home team levelled from the spot. At that point, BVB were on the course to winning the title even if they lost at home. But Bayern wouldn't be held two weeks in a row. Jamal Musiala strolled through Koln's box and restored Bayern's lead with just a few minutes to go, putting the Bavarians ahead in the race again on the final straight.

Nicklas Sule made it 2-2 seconds before the final whistle in Dortmund, but the point was no good. It was game over for Dortmund and yet another title for Bayern.

As far as the rest of the league goes, Schalke and Herta are downgraded to Bundesliga 2 - the popular 'Zweite' - while Stuttgart have one more chance to survive in the top tier - the playoff match against either Heidenheim or Hamburger SV.

Along with Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Union Berlin will play in the Champions League. The Iron Ones - as Union Berlin are known in German football, were in the second tier in 2019 and will play for the first time in club's history in the European best club competition.

Freiburg will represent Germany in the Europa League while Bayer Leverkusen will perform in the Conference League.

BUNDESLIGA - FINAL DAY

Saturday

Borussia Monchengladbach - Augsburg 2-0 (2-0)

/Netz 4, Hoffmann 40/

Bochum - Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 (2-0)

/Forster 19, Asano 34, Stoger 86/

Borussia Dortmund - Mainz 2-2 (0-2)

/Guerreiro 69, Sule 90+6 - Hanche-Olsen 15, Onisiwo 24/

Eintracht Frankfurt - Freiburg 2-1 (0-1)

/Muani 83, Ebimbe 90+3 - Grifo 45/

Koln - Bayern 1-2 (0-1)

/Ljubicic 81 pen - Coman 8, Musiala 89/

RB Leipzig - Schalke 4-2 (2-1)

/Laimer 10, Nkunku 19, 90+4, Poulsen 82 - Kaminski 28, Orban 49 og/

Stuttgart - Hoffenheim 1-1 (0-0)

/Tomas 80 - Bebou 75/

Union Berlin - Werder Bremen 1-0 (0-0)

/Khedira 81/

Wolfsburg - Hertha Berlin 1-2 (1-0)

/Kaminski 2 - Maza 55, Richter 68/