6/27/2020

FOOTBALL : LEWANDOWSKI BREAKS LEAGUE- RECORD


Robert Lewandowski claimed the record for the most goals scored by a foreigner in the Bundesliga as champions Bayern Munich swept past SC Freiburg 3-1 on Saturday, while Werder Bremen look set to be relegated after losing at Mains 05.

After Joshua Kimmich gave Bayern an early lead at a spectator free Allianz, Arena, Lewandowski scored twice in the first half to give him 33 league goals in 30 matches this season, having netted a total of 48 times in 41 games in all competitions.

The Poland striker's tally beats the previous record of 31 goals set by Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2016-17 for Borussia Dortmund before he moved to present club Arsenal the following season.

With one game left, Lewandowski remains well short of Gerd Mueller's remarkable all time record for the most goals in a German League season when he scored 40 in 1971/72.

The pressure was off Bayern as they were crowned Bundesliga champions for the eighth consecutive season in midweek.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick rotated against Freiburg with New Zealand midfielder Sarpeet Singh given his first start after becoming the first player of Indian origin to appear in the Bundesliga last December.

At the foot of the table, Bremen are set to be relegated for the first time in 40 years after they slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Mainz..

Swedish winger Robin Quaison and Dutch attacking-midfielder Jean Paul Boetius handed the hosts a comfortable lead, before Japan striker Yuya Osako gave Bremen hope by making it 2-1 with half an hour left.

Swiss substitute Edimilson Fernandes settled the matter when he got in behind the Bremen defence and made it 3-1 on 85 minutes for Mainz, who will now stay up.

The result leaves Bremen second from bottom and two points from 16th place which triggers a relegation play-off at the end of the season.

To have any chances of staying up, Bremen must now beat FC Cologne at home next weekend and hope 16th-placed Fortuna Dusseldorf, who drew 1-1 at home to Augsburg on Saturday, lose at mid-table Union Berlin.

The race for the final  two Champions League spots is wide open after teenage phenomenon Erling Braut Haaland clinically converted two crosses to seal Dortmund's 2-0 win at third-placed RB Leipzig.

Dortmund, who will finish second , and Bayern have both qualified for next season's Champions League, but two out of Leipzig, Gladbach and Leverkusen  can still join them. [AFP]

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Grace A Comment!