Bayern ends 2-game losing streak in Bundesliga to delay Bayer Leverkusen title celebrations
Sat, Apr 13, 2024
Soccer News (AP)
BERLIN (AP) - Raphaël Guerreiro and Thomas Muller fired Bayern Munich to a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Cologne on Saturday, delaying Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga title celebrations for another day.
A Bayern defeat coupled with a loss for third-placed Stuttgart to Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game would have handed Leverkusen the championship. But Bayern's win means Leverkusen can clinch its first ever Bundesliga title on its own accord on Sunday when it hosts Werder Bremen.
Bayern, which drew with Arsenal 2-2 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in London on Tuesday, ended its two-game losing run in the Bundesliga.
Visiting Cologne had two big chances early on before Harry Kane struck the inside of the post and forced saves from Marvin Schwäbe. Mathys Tel struck the post before the break.
Bayern winger Kingsley Coman had to go off injured shortly after, a blow for Arsenal's visit on Wednesday, then Guerreiro finally broke the deadlock with a fine strike inside the far post in the 65th minute.
Muller sealed the win on a counterattack in stoppage time.
It cut Leverkusen's lead to 13 points, though Xabi Alonso's team just needs one more win from its last six games to take the title.
Leipzig defended fourth place from Dortmund by beating visiting Wolfsburg 3-0. Only the top four are assured of Champions League qualification.
Two first-half goals from Marcel Sabitzer were enough for Dortmund to defeat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 away. Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi was sent off for a second yellow card in the 55th. They stayed behind Leipzig on goal difference.
Ivory Coast hero Sebastien Haller's first start for Dortmund since winning the Africa Cup of Nations lasted just eight minutes. Haller scored in Dortmund's 2-1 loss at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal but has become a doubt for the second leg.
Also, Bochum defender Keven Schlotterbeck scored both goals in a 1-1 draw with Heidenheim. Schlotterbeck's own goal gave the visitors an 81st-minute lead, but he atoned with the equalizer in the final minute.
It was enough to stop Bochum dropping into the relegation zone, where Mainz remained despite a 4-1 win over Hoffenheim.
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