Bundesliga prime scorer Robert Lewandowski bagged one other two objectives as Bayern Munich routed Cologne 5-1 to finish its two-game winless streak and consolidate its league lead on Saturday.
Lewandowski took his season tally to twenty-eight as Bayern stayed two factors away from Leipzig, which beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 with an injury-time winner within the late recreation.
Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka, making his first league begin since recovering from the coronavirus, lifted a cross for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to open the scoring within the 18th minute, then brilliantly arrange Lewandowski within the thirty fourth.
Goretzka acquired the ball from Lewandowski, turned and performed the ball by means of Cologne defender Rafael Czichos’ legs, and despatched it to the precise for Lewandowski to complete.
Defensive errors from David Alaba and Jérôme Boateng allowed Ellyes Skhiri to drag one again after the break as Cologne loved an encouraging part.
Bayern coach Hansi Glick despatched on Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry within the sixty fourth. The former was making his comeback from the coronavirus and he wanted lower than a minute to arrange Lewandowski’s second objective.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer nearly gifted Cologne a method again when he misplaced the ball to Dominick Drexler, however the midfielder’s effort from a troublesome angle went again off the submit.
Gnabry sealed the outcome within the 82nd and wrapped up the scoring within the 86th.
LATE LEIPZIG
Alexander Sörloth scored in damage time to maintain Leipzig on Bayern’s heels. There had been complaints from Gladbach that the Norwegian ahead pushed Valentin Lazaro earlier than reaching Christopher Nkunku’s cross, however the objective was awarded after a VAR examine.
Dayot Upamecano, who’s becoming a member of Bayern subsequent season, had a recreation to recollect for Leipzig. The French defender conceded a penalty for a careless problem on Breel Embolo within the fifth minute, however helped arrange Yussuf Poulsen for 2-2 within the 66th.
Jonas Hofmann transformed the penalty and Marcus Thuram headed Gladbach into an early 2-0 lead.
But the guests supplied little thereafter. Sörloth had a objective dominated out for handball earlier than he arrange Nkunku for Leipzig’s first within the 57th. Poulsen’s equalizer was deserved and Sörloth’s winner rewarded the house group’s perseverance.
It was Leipzig’s fifth win in succession, whereas Gladbach slumped to its third defeat in three video games because it was introduced coach Marco Rose will take over Dortmund subsequent season.
SCHALKE SHAMBLES
Schalke sporting director Jochen Schneider needed to deny experiences of mutiny throughout the squad earlier than the struggling group misplaced in Stuttgart 5-1. Kicker and different media retailers reported a number of gamers requested for Christian Gross, already Schalke’s fourth coach of the season, to get replaced.
The group’s efficiency appeared to verify the experiences.
Japan midfielder Wataru Endo was left utterly free to attain his first two objectives within the league, earlier than extra lackluster defending allowed Saša Kalajdžic to attain within the thirty fourth.
Sead Kolašinac answered for Schalke within the fortieth, however substitute Nabil Bentaleb noticed his weak penalty saved and Endo arrange Philipp Klement for Stuttgart’s fourth within the 88th. Daniel Didavi accomplished the rout in damage time.
“A very bitter defeat,” mentioned Gross, whose group stays final, 9 factors from security with 11 rounds remaining. “I’m not giving up.”
DORTMUND’S REVIVAL
Borussia Dortmund beat Arminia Bielefeld 3-0, and Hertha Berlin’s winless streak stretched to 9 video games after shedding at Wolfsburg 2-0.
Dortmund minimize the hole on fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt to a few factors. The prime 4 qualify for the Champions League.
Bielefeld’s defeat was excellent news for Hertha, which misplaced regardless of an excellent efficiency in Wolfsburg. Only objective distinction is retaining Hertha above Bielefeld within the relegation zone.