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BERLIN: A late Robert Lewandowski penalty spared Bayern Munich after a below-par performance in a 1-0 home win over Augsburg on Saturday, three days before their crucial Champions League tie against Villarreal.
Bayern struggled at the Allianz Arena until a handball by Augsburg defender Reece Oxford resulted in the penalty which Lewandowski tucked away eight minutes from time.
Bayern host Villarreal on Tuesday in their Champions League quarter-final second leg, having lost the first match 1-0 away last Wednesday.
Lewandowski has netted 32 league goals this season, leaving him poised to be the Bundesliga top-scorer for the fifth consecutive campaign.
In the wake of Wednesday’s first-leg defeat at Villarreal, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said he had no more “tolerance for wobbles and slip-ups”.
Yet until Lewandowski’s spot-kick, this was another disjointed, stuttering performance from Bayern in their tune-up for Tuesday.
Bayern barely created a shot in the first half under pressure from Augsburg who stunned the Bavarian giants when the clubs met last November.
Teenager Jamal Musiala came on at half-time, before wingers Alphonso Davies and Kingsley Coman also came off the bench. The injection of pace paid off as Bayern looked far more dangerous.
Kimmich forced a superb diving save from Augsburg goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz with an hour gone.
After the ball clipped Oxford’s hand from a cross, Lewandowski secured the three points.
Elsewhere, Cologne boosted their hopes of European football next season by coming back from behind to grab a 3-2 home win over Mainz.
Goals by Jonathan Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo put Mainz 2-0 up early in the second half before goals from Ellyes Skhiri and Dejan Ljubicic drew Cologne level.
Luca Kilian grabbed a late winner with his first Bundesliga goal.
Wolfsburg ended a run of three defeats with a 4-0 home win over Arminia Bielefeld.
Borussia Moenchengladbach pulled away from the relegation battle and into mid-table with a 2-0 win at bottom side Greuther Fuerth.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2022
