Berlin, Sep 6 (IANS) Goalkeeper Loris Karius produced a string of saves as promoted Schalke 04 held defending champion Bayern Munich to a goalless draw in Bundesliga.

chalke, who lost 3-0 at Augsburg on the opening weekend, defended with discipline throughout as Bayern struggled to turn its control into clear opportunities.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany rotated his side following the midweek German Cup victory over Osnabrueck, with Harry Kane and Michael Olise starting on the bench. Jamal Musiala was also among the substitutes on his return to the squad, reports Xinhua.

Karius was called into action early and denied Nathaniel Brown from close range in the 13th minute, before Schalke gradually found opportunities to counter.

Adil Aouchiche forced goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into a diving save from a free kick in the 36th minute, while Bayern's Luis Diaz wasted another good chance before halftime after being played through on goal.

Kompany introduced Kane at the break. Diaz threatened again nine minutes into the second half, but his attempted finish over Karius was cleared by Hasan Kurucay.

Olise and Musiala were substituted on in the 57th minute as Bayern increased the pressure, with Karius immediately denying Olise.

Schalke was increasingly forced deep inside its own half but continued to frustrate the visitors. Karius preserved the point with another save in the 87th minute, keeping out Kane's powerful long-range effort.

The draw ended Schalke's run of 12 successive defeats against Bayern in all competitions.

"When you play against a compact, aggressive team that does its job well, you must take your chances in those moments. We created enough opportunities to win the game, but that's football and you must accept it," said Kompany.

Bayern failed to score in a competitive match for the first time since July 2025 and dropped to fourth in the table, two points behind leader Freiburg.

Schalke next visits Union Berlin, while Bayern faces promoted Elversberg.

Elsewhere, Elversberg continued its perfect start by edging Borussia Monchengladbach 4-3. Borussia Dortmund also maintained its perfect record with a 3-2 victory at Hoffenheim, joining Elversberg and Freiburg on six points. Freiburg won 1-0 at Paderborn, Bayer Leverkusen crushed Union Berlin 4-0, and Werder Bremen defeated RB Leipzig 3-1.

--IANS

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