Bayern bag tenth consecutive victory
Reuters - Saturday 06 February 2010, 17:48
BERLIN - Bayern Munich continued their
winning run on Saturday by beating fading champions VfL
Wolfsburg 3-1 to draw level on points with Bayer Leverkusen at
the top of the Bundesliga.
The Bavarians raced into a 3-0 lead in less than an hour as
they notched their 10th successive win in all competitions - a
run which started on November 25 against Maccabi Haifa in the
Champions League - and avenged last season's 5-1 defeat at the
same ground.
Leverkusen, unbeaten in the league, were held 1-1 at lowly
VfL Bochum after surrendering a half-time lead.
The two top teams have 45 points from 21 games but
Leverkusen lead on goal difference.
Third-placed Schalke 04 were held to a goalless draw at
Freiburg and Hamburg SV, in fourth, drew 3-3 at Cologne.
On another freezing afternoon, Bayern needed only two
minutes to go ahead at Wolfsburg when Bastian Schweinsteiger
released Thomas Mueller down the left and he cut the ball back
for Dutchman Arjen Robben to score with a first-time
left-footer.
DIVING HEADER
Bayern went further ahead in the 26th minute when defender
Daniel van Buyten netted with a diving header at the far post
after the defence failed to clear a corner.
The third goal came when Robben's pass left Mueller with
only Andre Lenz to beat and, after the keeper parried, Ribery
flicked the ball over him and into the net despite Wolfsburg
defender Andrea Barzagli getting a touch.
Wolfsburg, without a win in 10 games, were thrown a lifeline
in the 66th minute when Ribery tripped Sascha Riether inside the
box but Grafite's penalty was smothered by Bayern goalkeeper
Hans-Joerg Butt.
Grafite, who in the same fixture last year scored one of the
most memorable goals of the season, grabbed a 90th-minute
consolation for the champions who are 12th on 25 points.
Leverkusen, aiming for a fourth straight win since the
winter break, went ahead through Switzerland striker Eren
Derdiyok on the stroke of halftime.
Slovenia forward Zlatko Dedic equalised in the 68th minute
with a cool finish after an incisive pass by Lewis Holtby.