Bayern break record after beating Augsburg
Munich - FC Bayern München recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Bavarian neighbours FC Augsburg to remain top of the league and make it 37 games unbeaten in the Bundesliga, breaking the record set by Hamburger SV back in the early 1980s.
Boateng on target
Jerome Boateng set them on their way, lashing home from an acute angle as early as the fourth minute, with Frank Ribery’s blasted free-kick putting them in cruise control before the interval. Substitute Thomas Müller then added a stoppage-time penalty, as Bayern maintained their record of not having lost a Bundesliga Bavarian derby since February 2007.
The hosts had fond memories of the last time they played this fixture: Matchday 33 of last season when they were presented with the Meisterschale after a 3-0 win. On that day they had needed 69 minutes to break their Bavarian neighbours down, but on this occasion Augsburg put up far less resistance. After Javi Martinez’s shot had been tipped wide, Boateng netted from the resulting corner with a superb angled drive.
The goal allowed the hosts to move quickly into their stride, keeping the ball with some delightfully intricate moves, giving Augsburg no opportunity whatsoever to establish any sort of a grip on proceedings. The only thing missing for Pep Guardiola's charges was a more sustained threat at goal in the opening half hour, with only Ribery’s dragged effort and a Toni Kroos strike from distance the closest they came to extending their lead.
Ribery doubles the lead
Towards the end of the first half, Augsburg seemed to be coming back into the game. Markus Weinzierl's men were enjoying more possession in the Bayern half and Tobias Werner fired their first shot over the bar. Bayern's second arrived at a crucial time, however, as Ribery converted from a free-kick he himself had won, powering an unstoppable drive into the top corner just before the break.
With a two-goal cushion, last season's quadruple-winners were able to dictate affairs in much the same way in the early periods of the second half. Ribery remained the danger man, flashing two efforts just off target, but Augsburg, with more composure, might have forged a route back into the game. Matthias Ostrzolek fired over when a cross would have been the better option, and Andre Hahn snatched at his shot when free in the box.
Müller seals it
Despite their obvious level of comfort, Bayern were still being opened up on the break by an adventurous away side, which may have concerned Guardiola. The visitors’ lack of quality going forward meant that Manuel Neuer’s clean sheet rarely looked in any doubt, and it was the home side that were the more likely to add to their lead, with Robben and Mario Mandzukic getting in each other’s way from a David Alaba cross.
Augsburg, it seemed, had long since accepted defeat, with Müller converting a spot-kick after a hand-ball from Ostrzolek in added time. Die Függerstädter remain 13th in the table having lost their fifth straight game to the Reds since being promoted to the top-flight in 2011, but they will have the chance for revenge when they host Guardiola's 'Invincibles' in the DFB Cup next month.
Bernie Reeves
Line-ups and statistics
Check out Ribery's top five Bundesliga goals, courtesy of the official Bundesliga YouTube channel:
