Football: Bayern down Dortmund to win 10th straight Bundesliga title

BERLIN, Germany -- Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions for the 10th consecutive season on Saturday after a 3-1 home win over second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

First-half goals by Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski put Bayern in control at a sold-out Allianz Arena before Emre Can converted a penalty after the break for Dortmund.

But teenager Jamal Musiala fired in a late goal to spark early celebrations in the home crowd.

This is the first time a club has won 10 straight titles in one of Europe's top five leagues.

"The year wasn't that easy. That's why I'm happy that we crowned it with the championship title," said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann, who was drenched in beer by his players.

The Bavarian giants' eighth successive win over Dortmund leaves Bayern an unassailable 12 points clear with three games left.

The title capped an up-and-down season for Bayern, who were dumped out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Villarreal earlier this month.

"It was important that we finished things off after being knocked out by Villarreal," said Bayern captain Manuel Neuer.

"Everyone wanted it, that's what's special in our team."

Thomas Mueller, who claimed a record-breaking 11th Bundesliga winner's medal, said: "We were able to get a few things off our chest. Now it's wonderful."

Bayern dominated the opening half and Gnabry fired a magnificent volley into the top corner from the edge of the box to give them a 15th-minute lead.

Gnabry had a second effort disallowed before Lewandowski doubled the advantage 11 minutes before half-time.

It was the Poland striker's 27th goal in 26 matches against Dortmund, who he left for Bayern in 2014.

But his future is in doubt, with Lewandowski's contract up next year and Barcelona reportedly interested in taking him to the Camp Nou.

"Something will happen soon. The only thing I know is that there will be a meeting (with Bayern)", he told Sky.

Dortmund responded early in the second half as Can converted a penalty after Marco Reus was brought down in the area.

The visitors had their appeals for another spot-kick waved away with 30 minutes left when Lucas Hernandez brought Jude Bellingham down in the area.

Lewandowski won the battle of the Bundesliga's star strikers as Erling Haaland, who has been linked with big-money move to Manchester City, failed to score despite forcing Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into two late saves.

Musiala put the result beyond doubt when he slotted home seconds after his initial shot was saved by Dortmund keeper Marwin Hitz.

- Late Union goals stun Leipzig -

Earlier, Union Berlin scored two late goals to poach a 2-1 win at RB Leipzig, which kept alive their Champions League qualification hopes.

Bayer Leverkusen thumped bottom club Greuther Fuerth 4-1 to take third place from Leipzig and move three points clear of fifth-placed Freiburg in the race for the top four.

Freiburg missed the chance to draw level on points with Leipzig, conceding a late equalizer in a 3-3 draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Union are just two points further back in sixth, with five clubs, including seventh-placed Cologne, separated by just six points with three games remaining in the battle to reach next season's Champions League group stage.

Yussuf Poulsen put Leipzig ahead early in the second half to put the hosts on course for their second win in four days over Union, who they beat 2-1 in the German Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.

However, Union avenged the cup defeat as substitutes Sven Michel and then Kevin Behrens scored in the 86th and 88th minutes.

Union are bidding to reach the Champions League for the first time in just their third season since being promoted to the Bundesliga.

Freiburg, also hoping for a maiden appearance in Europe's premier competition, looked set to pile the pressure on Leipzig as they fought back from 2-0 down at half-time to lead Gladbach.

But Lars Stindl struck for the away side in the third minute of injury time.

Fuerth were finally relegated after their loss to Leverkusen, having been last in the table since September.

Agence France-Presse

Bayern beats Red Star 3-0 to open Champions League campaign

MUNICH — Bayern Munich substitute Thomas Müller provided a late highlight as the German powerhouse beat Red Star Belgrade 3-0 in their Champions League opener on Wednesday.

Müller came on for Philippe Coutinho in the 83rd minute and scored in the first minute of injury time when he ran behind the visiting defense and spun around to volley Thiago Alcantara’s lobbed free kick past goalkeeper Milan Borjan.


It was Müller’s 106th appearance in the Champions League, making the 30-year-old Bayern’s most capped player in the competition.

Robert Lewandowski had already sealed the result after striking from close range in the 80th, but it had been shaping up to be a frustrating evening for the Poland striker, who missed several chances after Kingsley Coman opened the scoring in the 34th.

“We had the whole game under control, but we had many chances and didn’t make the most of them,” Lewandowski said. “In the end it was only three goals, not five or six.”

Bayern failed to turn almost total possession in the first half into clear-cut scoring opportunities.

Marko Marin, Red Star’s playmaker and a former German international, went closest for the visitors in a rare attack when he shot just wide of the far post before Lewandowski scored.

Even Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was off his best as he misjudged a simple back-pass and was forced to clear in the 13th.

Making his first start for Bayern, Coutinho nearly scored a stunning opener on his Champions League debut for the side but his well-struck volley flew just over the bar.

“He had a great game,” Bayern coach Niko Kovac said of the Brazilian. “He brings another dimension to our game when he’s on the ball.”

Coman finally broke the deadlock by heading in Ivan Perisic’s cross.

Coutinho also had a goal ruled out for offside, and Lewandowski went close with a free kick after the break, before Borjan made a brilliant save to deny Perisic.

Perisic again went close midway through the half when he controlled the ball on his chest and lobbed the goalkeeper, only to see the effort come back off the crossbar. Lewandowski missed the rebound with the goal at his mercy, but finally struck after the visitors failed to clear.

Tottenham drew 2-2 at Olympiakos in the other Group B game.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Sancho leads Dortmund to German Supercup win over Bayern

DORTMUND, Germany—Jadon Sancho starred as Borussia Dortmund beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the season-opening German Supercup on Saturday.

Sancho scored one goal and brilliantly set up Paco Alcacer for the other as Dortmund secured a morale-boosting victory over its old rival and delivered a statement of intent for the season ahead.


“We know that we still have a tall task ahead of us for the championship,” Dortmund team official Sebastian Kehl said.

Dortmund is bidding to end Bayern’s unprecedented seven-year reign as German champion and significantly boosted its squad with summer signings though only Nico Schulz was able to start as injuries took their toll.

Instead it was left to Sancho to carry on where he left off last season as the 19-year-old England forward produced another sparkling performance.

“All the defenders, even Bayern’s defenders – when he has the ball at his feet, they’re a little bit afraid,” Dortmund midfielder Axel Witsel said. “Jadon has a lot quality. He’s really fast, technically he’s very good. He can score, make passes, so he’s really complete.”


The game, a curtain-raiser for the coming season, was sold out, watched by more than 81,000 fans at the Westfalenstadion.

They were barely given time to settle as the game began with an outstanding save from Bayern captain Manuel Neuer to deny Dortmund counterpart Marco Reus.

The next big chance also fell to Dortmund. Neuer rushed out of goal and Alcacer tried scooping the ball over him toward the unguarded net. Fans stood up and watched as the ball went wide.

Robert Lewandowski replied with Bayern’s first effort, which was deflected away, before Neuer saved again to deny Raphael Guerreiro.

Bayern improved through the half with Niko Kovac’s side looking assured on the ball.


“We didn’t take our chances,” Kovac complained.

Alcacer broke the deadlock after the break, all thanks to Sancho. He eluded three Bayern defenders, then played the ball through Niklas Süle’s legs for Alcacer to sweep it inside the right post.

Bayern sought a response and was only denied through desperate defending with Marwin Hitz saving and Manuel Akanji blocking on the line before the ball was cleared away.

Sancho then struck on a counterattack in the 69th after Guerreiro played the ball over the Bayern defense. The young forward stayed calm before slotting the ball through Neuer’s legs.

Of all Dortmund’s summer signings, only Schulz could play. Mats Hummels was denied a quick reunion with his former Bayern teammates due to muscular problems, Julian Brandt was out with a groin problem, Thorgan Hazard with an ankle injury and Mateu Morey with a shoulder injury. Goalkeeper Roman Bürki was also out.

source: sports.inquirer.net