Bayern ends 2-game losing streak in Bundesliga to delay Bayer Leverkusen title celebrations
BERLIN (AP) — Raphaël Guerreiro and Thomas Müller fired Bayern Munich to a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Cologne on Saturday, delaying Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title celebrations for another day.
Third-placed Stuttgart followed with a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game. Both Bayern and Stuttgart needed to lose to hand Leverkusen the championship. But their wins mean 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.
Müller 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.
STUTTGART FLYING
Serhou Guirassy, Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling all scored in the first half to give Stuttgart a comfortable win over Frankfurt. It stretched Stuttgart's unbeaten run to nine games and brought Sebastian Hoeneß' team closer to Champions League qualification.
Guns N’ Roses hit “Paradise City” rang around the stadium after the game. Only goal difference was keeping Bayern ahead of Stuttgart.
Guirassy's 25 Bundesliga goals this season are a club record, Together with Undav, 16 goals, they've scored more league goals than any other club duo. Jürgen Klinsmann and Karl Allgöwer had the previous club record of a combined 37 in the 1985-86 season.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SCRAP
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 Mönchengladbach 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 Sébastien 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 Atlético 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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