Own goal puts Bayern Munich on brink of title

BERLIN - A second-string Bayern Munich team snatched a 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday thanks to a late own goal to stay 20 points clear at the top and on track for their first Bundesliga crown since 2010.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

SaturdayHoffenheim  0-0  MainzHamburg SV  0-1  FC AugsburgBremen   2-2  SpVgg FuDortmund  5-1 SC FreiburgNurnberg  3-0  Schalke 04Leverkusen  1-2  BayernBERLIN - A second-string Bayern Munich team snatched a 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday thanks to a late own goal to stay 20 points clear at the top and on track for their first Bundesliga crown since 2010.Mario Gomez fired the Bavarians into the lead with a superb solo effort in 37th minute but Simon Rolfes grabbed the equaliser in the 75th.Bayern, who will lift the title if they win their next match and second-placed Borussia Dortmund draw, avenged their only league defeat this season when Bastian Schweinsteiger’s 87th-minute free kick deflected into the net off Philipp Wollscheid’s shoulder.Dortmund demolished Freiburg 5-1 with two goals apiece from Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski and playmaker Nuri Sahin to sprint four points clear of third-placed Leverkusen.Bayern have 69 points with eight games left, Dortmund are on 49 and Leverkusen 45.Coach Jupp Heynckes made half a dozen changes to the Bayern team that edged past Arsenal on Wednesday to reach the Champions League quarterfinals, with Gomez replacing the club’s top scorer Mario Mandzukic.Agencies