Robben fires up Bayern Munich with brace
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Bayern Munich extended their unbeaten Bundesliga record to 39 games with a workmanlike 2-0 home win over bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig yesterday with Arjen Robben scoring both goals.
Having set a new Champions League record of 10 consecutive victories with their 3-1 win at CSKA Moscow on Wednesday, Bayern again cruised to victory in Munich.
“It was a complicated and difficult game against a defence-minded opponent,” said Bayern boss Pep Guardiola, who with 12 wins and two draws, has extended his record for the best start by a new Bundesliga coach.
“We dominated possession and, in the first half, we were very strong mentally after (last Saturday’s 3-0 win at) Dortmund and the trip to Moscow.
“In the second half we didn’t manage to bring (striker) Mario Mandzukic into the game, but it is one game more and at the end, I am happy with the performance.”
Even with hamstring-victim Philipp Lahm, plus France’s Franck Ribery and Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger on the walking wounded list, Bayern had too much fire-power for Braunschweig.
Having warned his side not to take underestimate Eintracht, who have never won in Munich, Dutch winger Robben was as good as his word.
The Netherlands star put the hosts ahead with a header after just two minutes, then slammed home a 30th-minute shot, but this was not an impressive performance as Bayern barely got out of second gear.
Borussia Dortmund picked up their first win in three league games with a hard-fought 3-1 win at 10-man Mainz 05 to stay third and seven points behind Bayern.
Dortmund took the lead on 70 minutes when Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired home a superb free-kick, but the lead lasted just four minutes before Cameroon’s Eric Choupo-Moting fired home a penalty.
Mainz were reduced to 10 men when Colombia’s Elkin Soto was sent off for stopping the ball going into the net with his hand and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski fired home the 79th-minute penalty.
Lewandowski then made sure of the points with his second penalty when he converted the 94th-minute spot kick when left-back Erik Durm was up-ended.