Robert Lewandowski on Saturday scored his 30th league goal of the season as Bayern Munich came from behind to claim a 4-2 victory against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and move a step closer to the Bundesliga title.
After Lucas Alario secured an early lead for the home side, Bayern struck twice in quick succession just before halftime to turn the game in their favor after Kingsley Coman’s equalizer.
“We didn’t start well, but I think it’s something which really distinguishes us at the moment, that we are able to fight our way back into games,” midfielder Leon Goretzka told Sky. “Without the crowd pushing you, you have to rely on yourself and your teammates. We are doing this well at the moment.”
Photo: AP
Lewandowski netted in the second half — setting a new personal best with 44 goals in all competitions — as Bayern established a 10-point lead over title rivals Borussia Dortmund, although that was reduced when Dortmund later on Saturday beat Hertha BSC 1-0.
Leverkusen teenager Florian Wirtz struck late in the game.
Bayern wore black armbands to support protests over the death of George Floyd in the US. The armbands bore the slogan “Black Lives Matter.”
“As players, we always have the same message: We are tolerant, we are open, we are open to the world,” Bayern captain Manuel Neuer told Sky after the game.
Elsewhere, a late equalizer from Christian Strohdiek gave bottom-of-the-table SC Paderborn a faint glimmer of hope in the race for survival as they snatched a 1-1 draw away to RB Leipzig.
Chelsea-bound Leipzig striker Timo Werner set up Patrik Schick on 27 minutes to give Leipzig the lead, but they were forced to defend it with 10 men after Dayot Upamecano was booked twice.
Strohdiek’s last-minute strike gave Paderborn their fourth draw in five games, although Steffen Baumgart’s side remain eight points behind Fortuna Duesseldorf in the relegation play-off place.
Duesseldorf battled to a dramatic 2-2 draw against 10-man TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Uwe Roesler’s side remain three points adrift of survival after FSV Mainz earned a rare 2-0 win over local rivals Eintracht Frankfurt.
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