Robert Lewandowski on Friday scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from a goal down to beat SC Freiburg 2-1 and open up a six-point lead as the league resumed after the winter break.
With his back to the goal, Lewandowski controlled a cross with his chest and fired past the Freiburg goalkeeper in stoppage time to rescue the three points for lackluster Bayern.
It was his 14th goal of the campaign.
Photo: Reuters
“For us, it was a very hard game from start to finish, because Freiburg were good,” Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We did not play well, but we did show a lot of character.”
“We didn’t play a good first half, but then we came back and won the game with a lot of will and character. We cannot be happy with the way we played, but we can be with the result,” he added.
Hosts Freiburg had stunned the champions with a fourth-minute goal through Janik Haberer after a perfectly executed counterattack and a defensive error from Mats Hummels.
Photo: AFP
Bayern gradually took control of the game after an erratic opening 15 minutes and Arturo Vidal came close with a low drive on an icy pitch.
Poland striker Lewandowski, who minutes earlier had come close, drew them level in the 35th minute, volleying in a corner from Douglas Costa.
Bayern worked harder and upped the tempo in the second half, controlling possession and creating several more chances, but Ancelotti’s team lacked the final touch to score again until Lewandowski’s late goal.
Freiburg came close to grabbing a late winner against the run of play, with Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer tested repeatedly in the final minutes before the Pole rescued the champions with his last-gasp strike.
Bayern are on 42 points, six ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig, who were yesterday to host Eintracht Frankfurt.
LIGUE 1
AFP, BASTIA, France
French title hopefuls OGC Nice on Friday provisionally edged a point clear of AS Monaco, but were lamenting the loss of two points in a 1-1 draw at lowly SC Bastia.
The match was marred by an ugly incident beforehand, when police reported some Bastia fans stoned the Nice team bus, breaking two windows, as it arrived at the Stade Armand Cesari.
Nice said on Twitter that the side had arrived safely, “but their bus, a little less so.”
The club also showed two pictures of the damaged vehicle.
Nice, welcoming back former Italy, Manchester City and Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli from suspension, had to come from behind as Congolese midfielder Prince Oniangue put the hosts ahead on 17 minutes.
Nice, bidding to win a fifth title, but first since 1959, leveled through Arnaud Souquet just after the half-hour mark.
However, that was as good as it got for Lucien Favre’s shock pacesetters, who were last week held by another struggling side, Metz.
Bastia held out, despite having skipper Yannick Cahuzac sent off midway through the second period.
Favre was quick to pinpoint his side’s faults afterward.
“We dominated and had the lion’s share of possession, even more after the sending off, but there was not enough movement. We lost too many balls and they pressed us well with a 4-3-2-1 to shut us out,” Favre said. “We didn’t do enough tonight. Balotelli is not 100 percent and [asking him to] overcome a five-man defense is a tough ask.”
The draw — their fourth in five matches — left Nice with 46 points from 21 games, one clear of Monaco, who host Lorient today, and four ahead of reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who yesterday were to play Nantes.
LA LIGA
AP, MADRID
RC Deportivo de La Coruna on Friday could not manage more than a 1-1 draw against 10-man UD Las Palmas.
Deportivo failed to get their first away win in La Liga this season, despite playing with an extra man from the 77th-minute, as defender Aythami Artiles was sent off for a second yellow card.
Mateo Garcia put the hosts ahead with a goal less than 15 minutes into the game in the Canary Islands, but Romania forward Florin Andone equalized for Deportivo in the 69th.
Las Palmas remained 10th, while Deportivo stayed 15th.
Real Madrid lead the league ahead of Sevilla, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
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