Lewandoski’s goal-scoring prowess continues as Bayern reach last 16. Lewandoski’s goal-scoring prowess continues as Bayern beat Olympiakos. Robert Lewandowski’s incredible scoring run continued as Bayern Munich booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League by beating Olympiakos.
Lewandowski has scored in all 14 of Bayern’s European and Bundesliga games this season, with a tally of 20 across both competitions. He made it 1-0 from Kingsley Coman’s cross, before substitute Ivan Perisic scored with his first touch late on. The result saw Bayern bounce back from their 5-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt.
After that domestic defeat on Saturday prompted manager Niko Kovac’s sacking, assistant coach Hansi Flick oversaw a routine victory on Wednesday. The Greek visitors rarely threatened, failing to have an effort on target, and their hopes of staying in the Champions League will be over if Tottenham Hotspur beat Red Star Belgrade later on Wednesday.
Poland striker Lewandowski’s goal was his 24th of the season for club and country in his 21st appearance of 2019-20 in all competitions. Having netted 14 times in 10 league games so far this term, he now has six goals from Bayern’s four wins in Group B of the Champions League.
The German league champions, despite enduring a tough defence of their domestic title – sitting fourth in the Bundesliga – have been ruthless in Europe. They won 7-2 at Tottenham and 3-2 in Greece in October, after opening their campaign with a 3-0 home win over Red Star.
The hosts could have won by more but Benjamin Pavard’s header struck the post on the stroke of half-time.
Match stats – Lewandowski on fire
- Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski became the third player to score in eight consecutive Champions League group stage appearances, after Cristiano Ronaldo (nine, 2012 to 2014) and Lionel Messi (eight, 2015 to 2017).
- Since he joined Bayern Munich in 2014-15, no player has scored more group-stage goals in the Champions League than Lewandowski (31 – same as Messi), and he has now scored in each of his last eight such games in the competition (13 goals).
- Bayern have won each of their first four matches of a Champions League campaign for the fourth time, also doing so in 2010-11, 2013-14 and 2014-15.
- Olympiakos have now lost each of their past six away Champions League matches; their longest such run in the competition since a run of eight defeats between 2001 and 2003.
- Bayern’s Manuel Neuer made his 104th Champions League appearance, surpassing Oliver Kahn (103) to now hold the record for the most appearances by a German goalkeeper in the competition.
Source – BBC News
In other news – Bheki Cele – Politicians must account for service delivery protests
Police Minister Bheki Cele says politicians must be called to account to residents when there is a protest instead of calling police to rein in violent protesters.
Cele was speaking on Wednesday at the ongoing Popcru (Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union) conference in Durban on Wednesday. Addressing the union, Cele lamented that fighting crime in some parts of the country, more so in informal settlements, was risky because of unstructured settlements where houses are not correctly numbered. Read more.
Source: metro