Bayern round off year with victory

Bayern Munich won 2-1 away to Borussia Dortmund yesterday to strengthen their grip on the Bundesliga going into the six-week mid-season break.

Victory in the last round of matches in 2005 increased Bayern's lead to seven points, although that will be cut by at least a point today when second-placed Hamburg SV play away to third-placed Werder Bremen.

Iran midfielder Ali Karimi made the breakthrough for the champions eight minutes after the break and Peru striker Claudio Pizarro slotted in a second 20 minutes later.

Florian Kringe pulled one back with a header 11 minutes from time.

It was Bayern's 28th victory from 34 league matches in 2005 - a Bundesliga record, according to the club.

With half the league programme played, Bayern have 44 points from 17 games. Hamburg are second on 37, with Bremen two points further back.

Schalke 04 lost further ground when they went down 2-0 away to improving VfB Stuttgart in their first match since coach Ralf Rangnick was fired.

Schalke, who finished runners-up to Bayern last season, are fourth with 31 points - 13 behind the leaders. Stuttgart are up to fifth on 25.

Bayern's performance against Dortmund was typical of the way they have played in recent weeks, with workrate making up for generally unimpressive play.

They were lucky to go in at half-time with the game still goalless, as a young Dortmund side created much the better of the chances.

Oliver Kahn had to make a fine double save from David Odonkor and Ebi Smolarek following up in the 15th minute.

Three minutes before the break, Dortmund came within a whisker of taking the lead when 19-year-old defender Uwe Huenemeier headed goalwards.

Owen Hargreaves blocked with a header of his own, the ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced down without crossing the line.

Bayern had created just one good opportunity when Lucio beat the offside trap to take a clever pass from Pizarro only to skew a shot wide.

Karimi made no such mistake when he took Pizarro's pass early in the second half, edged between two defenders on the edge of the box and poked in a shot for the opener.

Ze Roberto set up the second in the 73rd minute, slipping a pass through for Pizarro to finish off from a tight angle on the left.

Bayern continued to look tired and Dortmund set up an edgy finale when Kringe headed past Kahn from a free-kick.

Dortmund had defender Kosi Saka sent off a minute from time when he clipped the heels of Roy Makaay on a run towards goal.

Results

Kaiserslautern vs Wolfsburg 3-2
A. Bielefeld vs Cologne 3-2
B. Leverkusen vs Hanover 0-0
B. Dortmund vs B. Munich 1-2
B. M'gladbach vs E. Frankfurt 4-3
Mainz vs Duisburg 1-1
Stuttgart vs Schalke 2-0

Today - 5.30 p.m.
Hertha Berlin vs Nuremberg
W. Bremen vs Hamburg