12 days to go! Sadio Mane off injured for Bayern ahead of World Cup

Senegal's Sadio Mane reacts after missing a chance to score during the African Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Kenya and Senegal in 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

An apparent injury for Sadio Mane ahead of the World Cup overshadowed Serge Gnabry's hat trick in a 6-1 win for Bayern Munich over Werder Bremen on Tuesday in the Bundesliga.

Mane contributed to Bayern's first goal when his shot was blocked into the path of teammate Jamal Musiala to score, but the Senegal forward's evening didn't last much longer. Indicating discomfort in his right leg, he was taken off in the 20th minutes for Leroy Sane.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann told broadcaster Sky that Mane had been struck on the top of his shinbone and would have an X-ray to examine the problem.

Bremen had leveled soon after Musiala's opener, but three goals in six minutes for Bayern finished off the promoted team's chances. Gnabry scored with a curling shot before Leon Goretzka charged through a gaping hole in the Bremen defense to add Bayern's third and Gnabry made it 4-1 off an assist from Sane.
Gnabry completed his hat trick in style in the 82nd by evading three Bremen defenders before scoring between the goalkeeper's legs. Seventeen-year-old Mathys Tel sprinted through the defense to score his third goal of the season and Bayern's sixth of the game.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had scored in seven straight games for Bayern but, when the score was still at 1-1, he missed the opportunity to make it eight by firing a penalty straight at goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka.
Bayern extended its lead to four points over second-place Freiburg, which plays Wednesday at Leipzig. Bremen is seventh after having to play without top scorer Niclas Fullkrug.

Bayern's Sadio Mane, centre, and Bremen's Amos Pieper, second from right, challenge for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

A slow start cost Borussia Dortmund as it lost 2-0 at Wolfsburg, which is on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league and cup after a troubled start to the season.

Micky van de Ven gave Wolfsburg the lead in the seventh minute, reacting quickest to knock in a deflected corner at the far post when he was left unmarked. Raphael Guerreiro kept Dortmund in the game with a clearance off the line to stop Jakub Kaminski's shot before Niklas Sule hit the post for Dortmund just before the break. Wolfsburg held off Dortmund attacks in the second half before Lukas Nmecha scored in stoppage time to finish off a move which began when Dortmund's Julian Brandt slipped while controlling the ball in defense.
Marco Reus wasn't in the squad for Dortmund as he faces a challenge to be fit for the World Cup ahead of Germany coach Hansi Flick naming his squad Thursday. Reus has been dealing with an ankle injury and Dortmund coach Edin Terzic told broadcaster Sky that Reus was still in pain.

Wolfsburg forward Lukas Nmecha went off with what his coach indicated could be a knee injury. Nmecha is considered a contender for a spot in the Germany World Cup squad after Leipzig's Timo Werner was ruled out last week.

Stuttgart beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 after Konstantinos Mavropanos headed in the winning goal in the eighth minute of injury time. Japan midfielder Wataru Endo was taken off on a stretcher for Stuttgart after being knocked unconscious in a clash of heads with an opponent, putting his World Cup participation in doubt. Stuttgart said Endo had been unconscious on the field but was later responsive in the ambulance.

Bochum held on to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 after a video review ruled out a Gladbach equalizer for offside, giving relegation-threatened Bochum its third straight home win.