Relentless Bayern take derby spoils
Munich - FC Bayern Munich registered a record 25th win of the season with a 4-0 success at home to 1. FC Nuremberg, their 100th Bundesliga win at the Allianz Arena.
Early Boateng opener
The freshly-confirmed champions were on song from the start, with Jerome Boateng firing in his second goal in five league games early on before Mario Gomez and Rafinha virtually wrapped up the points before the break. Timmy Simons missed a penalty for the visitors, but the day belonged to Bayern, who extended their winning margin in the second half through Xherdan Shaqiri as Nuremberg's nine-match unbeaten run was brought to an unequivocal end.
With the title already in the bag, Jupp Heynckes afforded himself the luxury of nine changes to the side which beat Juventus three days previously in the UEFA Champions League. Franck Ribery, one of only two players along with Daniel van Buyten to retain a starting berth, captained the hosts, who had already threatened twice through Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and van Buyten by the time Boateng arrowed home on the half-volley just five minutes in.
The early opener got the Allianz Arena crowd, among them Bayern's 1,000,000th Bundesliga spectator of the season, into full party mode and soon the goals began to flow. First Gomez, partnering fellow striker Claudio Pizarro in attack, slotted into the corner to double the home side's advantage, before Rafinha crashed in his second of the season for 3-0.
Starke saves from Simons
It could easily have been more before the half was out, but Raphael Schäfer did well to deny Ribery at his near post after Gomez had already guided one of the Frenchman's crosses over. The difference in class was obvious and demonstrated by Nuremberg's first and only chance of the opening period coming after 43 minutes, when Markus Feulner, who scored his side's equaliser against Bayern on Matchday 12, saw his low drive well held by Tom Starke.
The visitors were handed the opportunity to reduce the arreas when Rafinha brought down Mike Frantz in the box shortly after the break, but Starke maintained his record of never having conceded for FC Bayern in unorthodox fashion, repelling Timmy Simons' penalty kick with his head. The tide was soon back with the champions anyhow as Shaqiri took down a corner and turned well before firing in low to make it four.
More records tumble
Starke was called into action at the other end when Hiroshi Kiyotake fired goalwards on the counter and Per Nilsson almost nodded in a trademark Kiyotake free-kick, but Bayern's stand-in goalkeeper remained alert to ensure the table toppers recorded a record 19th clean sheet of the season and their 12th league victory in a row.
Line-ups and statistics
Andy James reporting from Munich
