Bayern beat Freiburg 3-1 without hospitalised Kompany to reclaim Bundesliga top spot from Dortmund

Bayern Munich went back to the top of the Bundesliga on Sunday after a 3-1 win at Freiburg. Head coach Vincent Kompany was not there, as he was still in hospital. Dayot Upamecano, Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise scored for Bayern, and Freiburg's only goal was an own goal by a Bayern player. The result moves Bayern above Borussia Dortmund on goal difference, a week before the two clubs meet in Munich.

Danks in the dugout as Kompany recovers

Kompany collapsed at training on Friday and was taken to hospital with what reports described as a viral illness. Bayern said on Saturday that he was likely to be out for "days, not weeks". His English assistant, Aaron Danks, took charge at the Europa-Park Stadion.

Bayern took control in the first half. Upamecano opened the scoring in the 16th minute from an Olise assist, and Gnabry doubled the lead in the 42nd minute after Nathaniel Brown set him up.

A nervy finish in Freiburg

Freiburg pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute when Tom Bischof turned a Vincenzo Grifo cross into his own net. The hosts were then reduced to ten men when Patrik Grolimund was sent off in the 86th minute. Two minutes later, VAR ruled out a Bayern goal by Sacha Boey for offside, and goalkeeper Jonas Urbig made a late save from a Matthias Ginter header. Olise sealed the win five minutes into stoppage time.

Bundesliga.com reported that it was Freiburg's third defeat in a row. That is a sharp drop for a side that topped the table after five matchdays.

The title race: level on 17 points

On Saturday, Maximilian Beier's late winner had briefly put Dortmund top. Bayern have now responded, and both clubs have 17 points from seven games, with Bayern ahead on goal difference. Freiburg are third on 13 points. Bayern's next league match is at home to Dortmund, so Der Klassiker will decide who leads going into November. Kompany's fitness will be a major question in the build-up.

Hoffenheim end Leverkusen's run

In Sunday's other match, Hoffenheim beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 and ended their six-match winning streak. Andrej Kramaric scored a 79th-minute penalty, which was reported as Hoffenheim's 1,000th Bundesliga goal. Alexander Prass added a second on the counter-attack but then received a second yellow card for taking his shirt off while celebrating. Max Moerstedt scored the third six minutes into stoppage time. Hoffenheim have now won three in a row. Leverkusen remain fourth.

For Malaysian fans, evening kick-offs in Germany now fall in the early hours in Malaysia. Central Europe moved back to winter time on 25 October, so the time difference to Malaysia is now seven hours.

Key takeaways

• Bayern won 3-1 at Freiburg through Upamecano, Gnabry and Olise.
• Assistant Aaron Danks led the team because Vincent Kompany is in hospital. The club expects him back in days.
• Bayern and Dortmund both have 17 points, with Bayern top on goal difference.
• Freiburg, who led the table early in the season, have lost three in a row and are third on 13 points.
• Hoffenheim beat Leverkusen 3-0, ending Leverkusen's six-game winning run.

FAQ

What happened to Vincent Kompany? He collapsed at training on Friday and was taken to hospital with a viral illness. Bayern said he would probably be out for days rather than weeks.

Who is top of the Bundesliga after matchday 7? Bayern Munich are top on goal difference. They and Borussia Dortmund both have 17 points, and Freiburg are third with 13.

When do Bayern play Dortmund? Bayern host Dortmund in Munich in the next round of Bundesliga matches. Check the official schedule for the exact kick-off time in Malaysia.

Sources: Bundesliga.com, AFP via Yahoo Sports, Vanguard, Zamin, Football Web Pages