SPORTS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2014 Bayern extend record runs BERLIN: Leaders Bayern Munich extended both of their unbeaten league records with a 2-0 win at Nuremberg yesterday as the European champions remained 13 points clear in the Bundesliga. The 39-point gulf between the two teams in the league table was evident, leaving runaway leaders Bayern with 56 out of a possible 60 points this sea- son. This was Bayern’s 45th unbeaten Bundesliga match, dating back to October 2012, and their 29th unbeaten away league game to extend their records after a rare win in Nuremberg. “I quickly noticed why Bayern had only won once in six years at Nuremberg,” said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola. “Nuremberg were aggressive and played very intensively, they had two or three clear chances. “After we went 2-0 up, things got easier for us, but the pitch made things difficult and was- n’t good for our possession.” Despite the heavy surface, Bayern still enjoyed more than 60 percent possession-down from the average of 75 they are accustomed to-while defeat dropped Nuremberg back into the bottom three. “The first-half cost us a lot of strength and the belief wasn’t as great,” admitted Nuremberg coach Gertjan Verbeek. “It was almost impossible to come back after they went 2-0 up soon after the break.” Bayern needed just 17 minutes to take the lead at Nuremberg’s Grundig Stadium when Germany star Mario Goetze put David Alaba in space down the flank and the Austria left-back flicked in a cross for Mario Mandzukic to volley home. The Croatia striker then turned provider when FRANCE: Bastia’s French defender Francois-Joseph Modesto (left) vies he put captain Philipp Lahm in space to fire home with Marseille’s Tunisian forward Saber Khalifa (right) during the French on 49 minutes as Bayern counter-attacked. League One football match. — AFP It should have been more when Arjen Robben GERMANY: Nuremberg’s Mike Frantz (right) and Bayern’s Mario Goetze challenge for the ball during a German hit the post ten minutes later, but Bayern were in First Division Bundesliga soccer match. — AP complete control. Third-placed Borussia Dortmund enjoyed a 5-1 Marseille brush win at Werder Bremen with Poland striker Robert Lewandowski and attacking midfielder Henrikh aside Bastia Mkhitaryan both scoring twice. Aberdeen end Celtic’s Dortmund made their pressing game count PARIS: Marseille gave their Wahbi Khazri came close to when defender Marcel Schmelzer pounced on a Champions League aspirations a reducing the deficit two minutes mistake on the left and slid his pass in for hopes of double repeat timely boost as they cruised to a 3-0 after half-time when he fired against Lewandowski to hit the top right-hand corner with home win over Bastia in France’s the outside of the post but Bastia’s 26 minutes gone. Dortmund doubled the lead at GLASGOW: Holders Celtic crashed out of the any hopes of an Old Firm derby this season and the League One yesterday. day was to get worse shortly after as Bremen’s Weser Stadion when Arminia’s Scottish Cup as Aberdeen pulled off a shock 2-1 Parkhead club’s hopes of a domestic double. Dimitri Payet struck twice in the Landreau limped off with an ankle Mkhitaryan scored his first league goal since fifth round win at Parkhead yesterday to inflict the “I don’t think I can single out any player apart first half before Andre-Pierre Gignac injury. His replacement Jean-Louis September when he held off a challenge from Glasgow giants’ first domestic defeat since from maybe James Forrest and Anthony Stokes added his 11th of the campaign to Leca’s first task was to pick the ball Holland’s Eljero Elia and blasted his shot into the September. who can come out the game with any credit at all,” guide Marseille to within two points out of the net as Gignac netted left-hand corner four minutes from the break. The Hoops have been almost unstoppable this Lennon said. “We never really got a spell of pres- of third place. Marseille’s third on 55 minutes, slot- Veteran centre-back Manuel Friedrich then season with ‘keeper Fraser Forster setting a new sure. We have been talking about the lack of goals With Marseille out of both domes- ting home the rebound after volleyed home just after the break to claim his first club record of 13 clean sheets in a row as Neil scored against us this season but the problem tic cup competitions, the league rep- Giannelli Imbula’s venomous 25-yard Bundesliga goal for two years. Lennon’s side won 14 consecutive games. This today was the back four and midfield, who as two resents the only avenue to European strike cannoned back off the cross- Lukasz Piszczek’s shot clipped the cross bar on trend looked set to continue when Anthony Stokes units were very poor.” football next term for Jose Anigo’s bar. 56 minutes, but Dortmund grabbed their fourth fired Celtic into a ninth minute lead as he showed Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes thought it good control and skill to fire past Jamie Langfield. had been a superb team performance. “Everyone side, who appear to be trending Florian Thauvin missed a glorious when Mkhitaryan curled in his second after Marco However, the Dons arrived in Glasgow as the last sacrificed a lot of themselves and worked extreme- upwards after a third win in five. chance to add his name to the score- Reus’s superb back-heel pass on 62 minutes before Successive victories had seen Bastia sheet just after the hour as he side to score against the Hoops back in November ly hard and had the resolve and attitude to come Lewandowski added a late fifth. and buoyed by their League Cup semi-final win back from going a goal behind,” McInnes said. looking to break into the top half of volleyed off the mark following Bremen midfielder Levent Aycicek scored a late the table at the Stade Velodrome but another Mendy delivery but it mat- over St Johnstone last weekend. “We felt we could exploit then at set plays and consolation on his Bundesliga debut, but there Adam Rooney diverted an Andrew Considine thankfully we did that. I think it was a victory we the visitors fell behind on 13 minutes tered little as Marseille strolled to vic- was precious little else for Werder fans to enjoy. as Payet exchanged passes with tory. On Friday Saint-Etienne climbed header on to the bar before Russell Anderson end- more than deserved.” The Dons will be joined in This was the 12th time this season Bremen have ed Forster’s run of 19 hours and 23 minutes without today’s draw for the quarter-finals by Rangers, who Gignac before scuffing a shot that above Lille into third on goal differ- conceded three or more goals and coach Robin deceived goalkeeper Mickael ence after a goalless draw at losing a goal as he volleyed Aberdeen level in the thrashed fellow League One side Dunfermline 4-0 Dutt is under increasing pressure with his side 13th 38th minute. on Friday night. St Johnstone booked their place in Landreau. Toulouse. However, Lille, who are and just three points from the relegation places. There was little the league’s without a win in their last five match- Celtic then found themselves trailing in a game the last eight with a 4-0 win away to Forfar while In the basement battle, Eintracht Frankfurt record appearance maker could do es, could regain control of third place for the first time since November 2 when Peter Dumbarton defeated Alloa 1-0. League Two side about Payet’s second though as the if they avoid defeat at second-from- moved up to 12th with a 3-0 win at home to bot- Pawlett sent a superb angled shot past Forster in Albion Rovers’ remarkable run continues after a 2-0 winger curled in a sumptuous long- bottom Sochaux later on Saturday. tom side Eintracht Braunschweig. the 49th minute. The Hoops haven’t been defeated win over Stenhousemuir and Stranraer and range effort on 25 minutes to take Leaders Paris Saint-Germain travel Freiburg were held to a 1-1 draw at home to domestically since Morton knocked them out of Inverness CT will have to do it all again following a his season’s tally to seven. Landreau to title rivals Monaco today in a top Hoffenheim while sixth-placed VfL Wolfsburg the League Cup in September but couldn’t find a 2-2 draw at Stair Park. Hibernian’s 112-year Scottish prevented Marseille from increasing of the table clash at the Stade Louis II, enjoyed a 3-0 win at home to Mainz 05. way back into the game. Cup hoodoo continues as Championship side Raith their lead as he turned a Gignac while the Bordeaux-Lorient fixture On Friday, second-placed Bayer Leverkusen Virgil van Dijk missed a golden chance to head Rovers defeated Terry Butcher’s side 3-2 at Easter effort round the post before the has been called off after heavy rain enjoyed a 1-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach Celtic level and Rooney hit the post for Aberdeen Road. Dundee United host St Mirren in today’s final burly striker headed over from a left the pitch at the Stade Chaban- with South Korea’s Son Heung-Min scoring the sec- as the Dons joined Rangers in the last eight to end fifth round match.