Bayern gets a scare and sets a new Bundesliga record of 44 rounds on top

BERLIN (AP) — Luis Díaz and Nicolas Jackson scored in stoppage time to dig Bayern Munich out of a hole with a 3-1 win over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Even if Bayern lost it was already assured of setting a new league record of 44 consecutive rounds at the top of the Bundesliga table.

Díaz deflected Joshua Kimmich’s cross in with his shoulder to dash the visitor’s hopes of a point three minutes into stoppage time, then Serge Gnabry sent Jackson through for another.

The goals extended St. Pauli’s losing record in the league to nine straight games and averted uncomfortable questions at Bayern, which was dealt its first defeat of the season by Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“We didn’t let up. We always had the belief we could still win this game. Scoring the two goals was a relief,” Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said.

A draw against the promoted Hamburg-based team would have been Bayern’s second in three league games after Union Berlin ended its record 16-game winning start to the season with a 2-2 draw on Nov. 8.

St. Pauli’s Andreas Hountondji stunned Bayern with the opener in the sixth minute, shooting the ball between Neuer’s legs after Mathias Pereira Lage won it from Konrad Laimer.

The goal-scorer had to go off shortly afterward after clutching the back of his thigh.

Lennart Karl and later Tom Bischoff hit the post as Bayern sought a response to the early setback.

The efforts paid off just before halftime when Díaz set up Raphaël Guerreiro to equalize. Díaz initially tried controlling the ball but sent it back for Guerreiro with his heel after losing his balance.

Harry Kane hit the post late on and Bayern kept pushing for the winner.

“These wins are part of the season, it gives us confidence,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said. “A huge compliment to the guys, that we kept going. We’ll need that feeling this season.”

Former Bayern winger Kinsley Coman was honored by the club before kickoff. The France star joined Saudi team Al-Nassr in the offseason.

Dortmund wins cup rehearsal

Aaron Anselmino and Karim Adeyemi scored either side of the break as Borussia Dortmund won at Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 to move above the home team into third.

Christian Kofane’s goal sparked a late ultimately unsuccessful fightback from Leverkusen.

The teams meet again in Dortmund on Tuesday in the third round of the German Cup.

More late drama

Heidenheim struck twice in stoppage time to win at Union 2-1 and climb off the bottom. St. Pauli dropped to last in the table.

Said El Mala scored in stoppage time for Cologne to draw at Werder Bremen 1-1. Bremen’s Niklas Stark was sent off after two bad fouls on the Cologne star.

Hoffenheim enjoyed a 3-0 rout of Augsburg with all the goals scored in the first half.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer