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December 18, 2014

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Hail the centurion as Robben scores in record Bayern win

ARJEN Robben’s 100th goal for German champion Bayern Munich sent it on its way to a 2-0 win over SC Freiburg and extended its lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Tuesday.

Goals by Robben and Thomas Mueller sealed Bayern’s win and gave it a 12-point lead over VfL Wolfsburg, which was at struggling Borussia Dortmund yesterday, while creating a Bundesliga defensive record.

The Bavarians have let in just three goals in 16 league matches this season, a new record that improves on VfB Stuttgart’s mark from season 2003-04.

However, Bayern’s win came at a cost as defender Mehdi Benatia, striker Robert Lewandowski and midfielder Xabi Alonso picked up injuries.

Benatia will definitely miss the final game of the year against Mainz tomorrow with a groin injury while both Lewandowski and Alonso took knocks to their right ankles.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had described Robben as the “best outfield player in the world” after the Dutch winger scored twice in Bayern’s 4-0 thrashing of Augsburg last Saturday.

The 30-year-old certainly didn’t let Rummenigge regret his words in Tuesday’s game as he headed home Bayern’s opener and claim his ninth goal in 12 Bundesliga games.

Mueller added Bayern’s second to wrap up the points.

“It was a good result, we would have liked a few more goals, but they packed men behind the ball, so we’re very happy with the win,” said Mueller.

Only a superb display from Freiburg goalkeeper Roman Burki kept the scoreline respectable as Bayern fired in 31 shots on goal ­— a Bundesliga record this season.

In Tuesday’s other matches, ten-man Stuttgart climbed out of the bottom three with a 1-0 win at fellow struggler Hamburg thanks to Florian Klein’s first-half winner.

The visitors played the best part of the second half a man down after defender Georg Niedermeier was shown a straight red for pulling back Hamburg striker Artjoms Rudnevs just after the break.

Augsburg stayed fifth despite its second straight defeat as it lost 0-2 at Hanover 96 while mid-table Mainz warmed up for tomorrow’s visit by Bayern with a goalless draw at FC Cologne.




 

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