Bundesliga
Defending champions Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to four points after edging past Freiburg, courtesy of goals from Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller.
Bayern Munich 2-1 Freiburg
Goals: 1-0 Lewandowski (7’), 1-1 Petersen (62’), 2-1 Müller (74’)
Freiburg came into the game on a club-record winning run, but they were caught cold in snowy Munich as the league leaders made a storming start. Bayern looked threatening from the off and took the lead after seven minutes. Serge Gnabry and Müller combined to find Lewandowski, and he thumped home left-footed from eight yards for his 21st league goal of the season. Having lost Baptiste Santamaria to injury after five minutes and seeing fellow midfielder Nicolas Höfler booked right after the goal, the visitors were creaking under a wave of incessant Bayern pressure. They finally got a foothold in the game, however, and could have levelled on 17 minutes when Rolland Sallai pushed the ball just wide from a central position after Vincenzo Grifo’s cross had been blocked into his path in the penalty area. Bayern were soon back in control, though, and Freiburg keeper Florian Müller did brilliantly to react to a deflection when Gnabry let fly from distance. That was one of Gnabry’s last involvements, however, as he too picked up an injury and was replaced by Leroy Sane. The former Manchester City winger didn’t take long to warm up, his right-footed shot whistling just past the post on the half hour.
Bayern continued to dominate, but there was a sense - given their recent defensive problems - that Hansi Flick’s men might need a second goal after the restart. Lewandowski almost got one just before the hour, seeing his close-range effort from an Alphonso Davies cross deflected onto the bar. Müller kept out the rebound from his namesake, and that stop proved vital for the visitors three minutes later. A triple substitution from Christian Streich brought an instant impact from a corner. Former Bayern attacker Nils Petersen was on the field just 25 seconds when he stooped to meet Höfler’s flick-on at the back post and level the game with his first touch. As so often happens, however, the champions had a response. Kingsley Coman's ball in from the left broke off Sane to Müller, whose side-footed finish nestled in the far corner of the net. Lewandowski and substitute Corentin Tolisso were both denied by the fingertips of the visiting keeper before the end, but Freiburg came agonisingly close to earning a point when Petersen smashed against the bar.
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Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Boateng, Alaba, Davies - Kimmich (Tolisso 75'), Goretzka (Martinez 86') - Coman (Musiala 75'), Müller (Choupo-Moting 87'), Gnabry (Sane 28') - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Nübel, Süle, Hernandez, Roca
Out: Nianzou (thigh), Zirkzee (suspended)
Coach: Hansi Flick
Freiburg: Müller - Lienhart, Schlotterbeck, Gulde - Kübler (Tempelmann 61'), Santamaria (Abrashi 5') (Haberer 54'), Höfler, Günter (c) - Sallai (Höler 62'), Demirovic (Petersen 62'), Grifo
Unused subs: Uphoff, Til, Heintz, Jeong
Out: Flekken (elbow), Kwon (knee), Schmid (muscular)
Coach: Christian Streich