Bayern Munich Defeat Schalke 3-1, Extend Dominance in Bundesliga
Bayern Munich extended their advantage at the top of the Bundesliga after defeating Schalke on Saturday.
Javi Martinez made the breakthrough for Bayern Munich as they extended their lead at the top with a 3-1 win at Schalke on Saturday, when all Bundesliga games were played amid increased security measures. (Latest Football News)
David Alaba put Bayern ahead in the ninth minute when his powerful shot took a huge deflection.
Max Meyer equalized against the run of play eight minutes later. Leroy Sane eluded Xabi Alonso and passed to Meyer, who cut inside Philipp Lahm and fired past Manuel Neuer inside the far post.
"I should have had it," said Neuer, who was back at his former club.
Schalke took heart from the goal and kept frustrating the visitors, with chances scarce at either end.
Martinez broke the deadlock with a header in the 69th when he was picked out between two defenders by Arjen Robben's perfect cross.
Suddenly there was more space for Bayern's attacks and Thomas Mueller fired inside the far post to seal the result in injury time.
"Sometimes you have to work hard," Mueller said. "Five-at-the-back seems to have become the fashion lately. I don't know if it's nice for the spectators but you have to do all you can. The opponents try everything."
Mueller equaled Paul Breitner's mark of 83 league goals for Bayern.
© AFP
Bayern extended its lead to eight points over Borussia Dortmund, which slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Hamburger SV on Friday.
Police, some armed with machine guns, maintained a visible presence at all stadiums with officials still on alert following the attacks in Paris last Friday. Fans were checked, bags were searched and the increased measures led to Stuttgart's game with Augsburg being delayed by 15 minutes.
Augsburg went on to win 4-0 and climb provisionally off the bottom with its biggest ever Bundesliga win.
Raffael struck in the 84th minute for Borussia Moenchengladbach to beat Hannover 2-1 as coach Andre Schubert matched Udo Lattek's club record eight-game unbeaten start. Schubert, who was promoted from interim coach, has seven wins and one draw.
'Gladbach winger Ibrahima Traore scored in the 34th, only for Artur Sobiech to equalize in the 65th.
"It's a relief just to be talking about football," said Traore, who was born and grew up in Paris, and who dedicated the goal to his brother. "My brother had very bad days and my mother didn't feel safe so I brought them here. It's the first time they're all in the stadium. My sister is here too."
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen won 3-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt for a much-needed boost after three straight defeats across all competitions, and Cologne vs. Mainz ended scoreless.
Some fans displayed banners saying "freedom" and "equality" and games were preceded by a minute's silence out of respect for those who lost their lives in Paris.
Cologne's French striker Anthony Modeste shook his head as if still trying to comprehend or come to terms with the attacks.
Cologne players had been due to wear a special "carnival kit" in conjunction with the local carnival celebrations, but the club decided it did not fit with the idea of paying tribute to the victims.
Modeste came closest to scoring when he struck the post early in the second half.
There were no such goal shortages in Wolfsburg, where the home side routed Werder Bremen 6-0 to consolidate third place.
"There was nothing at the back, nothing in the middle, nothing up front. It's inexplicable. I have to sleep on it to find the right words tomorrow," Bremen sporting director Thomas Eichin said.
Germany forward Max Kruse marked his return from injury by scoring twice, and Josuha Guilavogui, Bas Dost, Vieirinha and an own goal from Alejandro Galvez also contributed to Wolfsburg's seventh league win.