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Rediff.com  » Sports » PIX: Lewandowski sparkles as Bayern win again

PIX: Lewandowski sparkles as Bayern win again

June 20, 2020 23:40 IST
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Robert Lewandowski

IMAGE: Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring a goal against Freiburg. Photograph: Sven Hoppe/Pool via Reuters

Robert Lewandowski struck twice as champions Bayern Munich eased past Freiburg 3-1 on Saturday to secure a record 15th win in a row and the Pole became the first foreign player to score 33 goals in a Bundesliga season.

 

The Bavarians, who sealed their eighth successive title on Tuesday with victory at Werder Bremen, went in front after 15 minutes through Joshua Kimmich's well-placed shot from a Lewandowski assist.

The striker then nodded in on the rebound in the 24th minute after Freiburg keeper Alexander Schwolow had blocked a Leon Goretzka shot before flicking in the third from a Lucas Hernandez cutback before halftime.

Only two players in the history of the Bundesliga, Gerd Mueller and Dieter Mueller, have scored more goals in one season.

Freiburg had earlier cut the deficit through Lucas Hoeler.

IMAGE: Bayern Munich registered a club record of 15th consecutive victory in all competitions. Photograph: Sven Hoppe/Pool via Reuters

Bayern, who earned a club record 15th consecutive victory in all competitions, took their foot off the gas after the break, allowing Freiburg to create a few chances.

Sven Ulreich, making a rare appearance as replacement for Bayern's first-choice keeper Manuel Neuer, denied Kwon Chang-hoon in a one-on-one in stoppage time.

"We want to score goals and win games. When you trust your strengths it is an asset in every game. You can strengthen that with victories and I hope that we can keep doing this," Bayern coach Hansi Flick said.

"We still have things to do. The next goal is the German Cup final (on July 4) and then there is one more goal where we will try to go as far as we can," Flick added in reference to the Champions League and Bayern's shot at a treble.

Lewandowski can still add to his tally on the final matchday but is unlikely to match Gerd Mueller's Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a season set in 1972.

The previous best mark by a foreign player was 31 goals scored by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 2016-17 season.

Bayern, who need five more goals to equal the club record of 101 for a season, are on 79 points, 10 clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund win at Leipzig to guarantee second place

IMAGE: Borussia Dortmund's players celebrate after Erling Haaland scored the first goal against RB Leipzig. Photograph: Ronny Hartmann/Pool via Reuters

Erling Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund beat closest challengers RB Leipzig 2-0 away on Saturday to wrap up second place in the Bundesliga.

The Norwegian teenager kept up his sensational scoring run since his January arrival with his double taking his tally to 13 goals in 10 German League starts.

The victory guaranteed Dortmund would finish runners-up behind Bayern Munich for the fifth time in the last eight years as Leipzig, the only team that could catch them, needed at least a point to have a chance of finishing second.

Instead, Dortmund advanced to 69 points while Leipzig stayed in third place on 63 with just one more match to play next Saturday.

However, a berth in next season’s Champions League is all but confirmed for Leipzig despite the defeat, after Bayer Leverkusen also lost on Saturday.

Haaland’s 30th-minute opener was a club record 83rd league goal of the season for Dortmund and was arguably one of their best of the campaign.

It started with defender Mats Hummels dribbling past several opponents near the halfway line, setting up a run down the flank and pass inside from Julian Brandt.

Seventeen-year-old American debutant Giovanni Reyna then laid off the ball for Haaland to finish.

Haaland, 19, added a second on the stroke of fulltime but could easily have scored more were it not for the goalkeeping heroics of Leipzig’s Peter Gulasci, who denied him three times at point-blank range.

Mateu Morey also missed when in front of goal early in the second half, after Haaland played him in but Gulasci did enough to put him off his final effort.

It was the final home game for Leipzig’s Chelsea-bound striker Timo Werner, but he proved largely anonymous save for a 40th-minute effort from a tight angle that Dortmund keeper Roman Buerki blocked, and he was replaced with 20 minutes left.

There was a late chance for the hosts to equalise but with six minutes left flying fullback Angelino saw his effort blocked by Buerki, leaving Haaland to have the final say.

Leverkusen slump to defeat to drop out of top four

IMAGE: Berlin's Dodi Lukebakio celebrates scoring their second goal against Bayer Leverkusen with team mates. Photograph: Michael Sohn/Pool via Reuters

Bayer Leverkusen suffered a damaging 2-0 loss at Hertha Berlin on Saturday that all but killed off their chances of a spot in next season's Champions League as they dropped to fifth place in the Bundesliga standings.

Leverkusen, who had to win to stay in front of Borussia Moenchengladbach going into the last matchday next week, had the hosts on the back foot from the start and went close through Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz.

The Berliners were clearly struggling with Leverkusen's speed down the wings but they struck against the run of play with a quick break and a finish by Matheus Cunha, who earned his fifth goal in his 10th league game in the 22nd minute.

They scored again nine minutes after the restart just as Leverkusen looked to have recovered from the first goal, with a superb solo run by Krzysztof Piatek and Dodi Lukebakio easy finish.

Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz brought on two more strikers, Paulinho and Lucas Alario, in the second half but Hertha hung on to secure three points and moved up to 10th place.

"The disappointment is huge," Bosz said. "After a good start we did not play good football. We had too few chances and the only thing we can do now is win our next game."

"Then we will have to wait and see what the other clubs do."

Leverkusen are fifth on 60 points with Gladbach on 62 following their 3-1 win over Paderborn. RB Leipzig are third on 63 after losing 2-0 to second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

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Source: REUTERS
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