Champions Bayern Munich on Friday survived some late pressure to win 3-1 and end Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s 12-game unbeaten league run as they stretched their lead at the top to 14 points as the Bundesliga resumed after the winter break.
Javi Martinez and Franck Ribery scored either side of the break for Bayern before Kevin Volland pulled one back for the hosts to set up a frantic finale.
The visitors, without top scorer Robert Lewandowski and central defender Mats Hummels, made sure of the points when James Rodriguez curled a free-kick into the top corner in the first minute of stoppage time to lift them to 44 points.
Photo: Reuters
“Tactically and defensively, my team did it well for long stretches,” coach Jupp Heynckes told reporters. “We lost our concentration a bit after leading 2-0, but it is just difficult to win here. Leverkusen are young and talented and they attacked today.”
New Bayern signing Sandro Wagner, who made a late substitute appearance, set a club record with his league comeback for the Bavarians more than 10 years after his previous Bundesliga game for them. The 30-year-old Germany striker joined from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Leverkusen initially showed the fine form they have displayed over the past few months, with a strong start that saw them press Bayern high and launch lightning-quick counterattacks with speedy wingers Leon Bailey and Karim Bellarabi.
Photo: AFP
Dominik Kohr’s 18th minute header narrowly missed the target, but was their best chance before Bayern gradually took control.
The visitors took the lead in the 32nd minute, when Martinez fired in from close range after Leverkusen failed to clear an Arturo Vidal header.
Ribery, battling for a contract extension, added the second goal on the hour, shaking off two players to score with a low shot past Bernd Leno before Volland’s 70th minute deflected strike saw Leverkusen get back into the match.
However, Rodriguez’s free-kick dashed home hopes as Bayern won at Leverkusen for the first time since their 2013 treble-winning season.
LA LIGA
AP, MADRID
Malaga’s struggles in La Liga on Friday continued with a 1-0 loss at Getafe, extending the team’s losing streak to four matches.
Malaga could drop to last place in the 20-team standings if UD Las Palmas earns at least a point at Girona in their match scheduled for yesterday.
Malaga have only 11 points from 19 matches. They have not scored in four matches, losing the past three 1-0.
“There are a lot of things we need to improve,” Malaga forward Alberto Bueno said. “We need to win matches to regain our confidence. When we start scoring again it will be easier.”
Juan Cala netted Getafe’s winner with a 73rd-minute header, helping his team reach eighth place with 26 points.
Barcelona lead the league with 48 points, nine more than second-place Valencia.
Defending champions Real Madrid are fourth, 16 points off the lead with a game in hand.
LIGUE 1
AP, PARIS
Veteran forward Jimmy Briand on Friday had a hand in both goals as En Avant de Guingamp moved up to sixth place in Ligue 1 with a 2-0 victory at Strasbourg.
The win moved the Brittany-based side two points ahead of OGC Nice and four behind Nantes, as Ligue 1 resumed following its annual winter break.
Forward Yannis Salibur opened the scoring for the visitors in the eighth minute and midfielder Nicolas Benezet doubled the lead with just 16 minutes played.
Briand, who made five appearances for France from 2008 to 2012, made the difference on both goals.
For the first, he expertly took down a high pass and directed a cushioned pass toward the penalty spot. The Strasbourg defense failed to react quickly enough, and Salibur profited from the confusion to delicately clip the ball over advancing goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja.
Then, cutting in from the left, 32-year-old Briand picked out Benezet’s run with a well-weighted pass. Benezet took one touch to move the ball into his path before finishing confidently from just inside the penalty area.
“We controlled the game well. We’re climbing up the table and we’ll see where it takes us,” Briand said.
Briand is next to face his former club, Olympique Lyonnais, who visit on Wednesday. He played four seasons with Lyon before joining Guingamp three years ago.
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