Bayern notch seventh straight win
Reuters - Saturday 30 January 2010, 19:41
BERLIN - Bayern Munich provisionally
climbed to the top of the Bundesliga with their seventh
successive league win on Saturday, beating visitors Mainz 3-0.
Belgian defender Daniel van Buyten headed the hosts into the
lead in the 58th minute and Mario Gomez doubled the score with
his ninth goal of the season, slotting home from close range.
Arjen Robben then curled in a free-kick four minutes from time.
Bayern, who have now won their last nine matches in all
competitions, are on 42 points from 20 matches, one ahead of
Bayer Leverkusen.
"This was our best home game so far," Bayern coach Louis van
Gaal told reporters.
"We were superb when we had possession, we created many
chances and scored beautiful goals. I saw an outstanding Bayern
Munich today. I am satisfied," said the Dutchman.
Third-placed Schalke 04 kept up the pressure with a 2-0 win
over Hoffenheim, to move level on 41 points with Leverkusen.
Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi took his goal tally to 11 this
season when he grabbed the lead on 19 minutes and Lukas Schmitz
made it 2-0 four minutes after the restart with a deflected
shot.
FRANTIC PACE
Bayern looked determined to extend their winning streak when
they set a frantic early pace. Croatian Ivica Olic saw his
sixth-minute header saved by keeper Heinz Mueller, who also
denied Gomez a little later.
The hosts, with Dutch winger Robben reigning supreme on the
right, squandered their biggest chance when Thomas Mueller was
brought down in the box in the 32nd minute. Bayern keeper
Hans-Joerg Butt took the penalty but was also denied by Mueller.
Heavy snowfall affected the quality of the match in the
second half as both teams struggled on the slippery surface.
Bayern kept up the pressure though and got their deserved
lead when Van Buyten rose high to connect with a Robben cross
and keeper Mueller let the ball slip through his hands and legs.
Bastian Schweinsteiger rattled the bar with a powerful
header before team mate Gomez sneaked in to slot home a Philipp
Lahm cross from the right in the 75th.
Robben crowned yet another sparkling personal performance
when he curled a free-kick past Mueller in the 86th for the 3-0.
Werder Bremen lost 4-3 to Borussia Moenchengladbach, who
scored three times in the opening 18 minutes.
Coach Thomas
Schaaf, whose team has not won in the league since late
November, is under mounting pressure with Bremen now 14 points
off the pace in sixth place.
Bottom-placed Hertha Berlin, battling to lift themselves out
of the relegation zone, remained unbeaten for the third straight
week, with a goalless draw against VfL Bochum.