Bayern rout Duesseldorf to claim record eighth win

DORTMUND, Germany (AFP) –

L-R: Bayern Munich players Rafinha, David Alaba, Franck Ribery and Dante celebrate after the fifth goal. Bayern Munich set a new Bundesliga record to claim their eighth straight victory since the start of the season with a 5-0 win at Fortuna Duesseldorf.

Bayern Munich set a new Bundesliga record on Saturday when they claimed their eighth straight victory since the start of the season with a 5-0 hammering of Fortuna Duesseldorf to stay top of the league.

Bayern in 1995, Mainz in 2010 and Kaiserslautern in 2001 had all previously held the joint record of seven successive wins.

It was also the 300th Bundesliga victory for Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes thanks to goals by Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic, Brazil’s Luiz Gustavo and Rafina, plus two from Germany’s Thomas Mueller.

“Of course, I am delighted,” said Heynckes. “We played fantastic football from start to finish.”

Despite second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke 04, third, also winning, Bayern remain five-points clear at the top.

Bayern went ahead on 28 minutes after a Franck Ribery pass split the defence and found striker Mandzukic unmarked on 28 minutes to slot home.

Enjoying 80 percent possession, Bayern doubled their lead on 36 minutes.

Mueller fired the ball into the box and Brazil midfielder Gustavo enjoyed a simple tap in with Duesseldorf goalkeeper Fabian Giefer at his feet, desperately trying to scramble away the danger.

Frankfurt’s midfielder Alexander Meier celebrates scoring during their German first division Bundesliga football match against Hanover 96 in the central German city of Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt enjoyed their sixth win in eight games with a 3-1 win at home to Hanover.

Mueller grabbed Bayern’s third on 55 minutes after a good pass from Ribery.

Fortuna’s defence folded again as Mueller grabbed his second on 86 minutes and Rafinha claimed the fifth a minute later.

Schalke enjoyed a rare 2-1 win at title-holding neighbours Borussia Dortmund in the 141st Ruhr derby.

The Royal Blues took an early lead when Dutch forward Ibrahim Afellay volleyed home on 14 minutes at Signal Iduna Park stadium in front of 80,645 fans.

Schalke doubled their lead two minutes into the second half when an excellent pass from Lewis Holtby on the halfway line put midfielder Marco Hoeger away.

The 23-year-old sprinted clear of the Dortmund defence and drilled the ball past Borussia’s despairing goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller.

Having started with a 4-4-2 formation, Borussia then switched back to a 4-2-3-1 attack which paid off when Poland striker Robert Lewandowski headed home on 55 minutes to put the hosts back in the game, but it was not enough.

“We were a bit surprised that Dortmund changed their formation, but we coped well with it,” said Schalke coach Huub Stevens.

“After it was 2-1 the whole team fought well and deserved the win.”

Defeat leaves Dortmund 12 points behind Bayern and four behind Schalke.

“We didn’t play well,” admitted Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, who had midfielders Jakub Blaszczykowski, Mario Goetze, Ilkay Guendogan und defender Marcel Schmelzer out with injury.

Schalke’s goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall (L) and his teammates celebrate after their German first division Bundesliga football match against Borussia Dortmund in the western German city of Dortmund. Schalke enjoyed a rare 2-1 win.

“After the system change, we were less stable early on. We played too little football and all in all, Schalke deserved the win.”

Bremen claimed only their third win this season as they hammered Moenchengladbach 4-0 to leave Bremen ninth in the table and ‘Gladbach 12th with just two wins from eight games this season.

Frankfurt enjoyed their sixth win in eight games with a 3-1 win at home to Hanover having scored two goals after only 18 minutes through Algeria midfielder Karim Matmour and defender Sebastian Jung.

Hanover pulled a goal back through Mohammed Abdellaoue on 43 minutes, but Eintracht netted their third on 82 minutes thanks to a header from Alexander Meier.

Freiburg enjoyed a 2-0 win at Wolfsburg to leave the 2009 champions bottom of the table with just one win in eight games, while Bayer Leverkusen move up to fifth after their drew 2-2 at home to Mainz.

On Friday, Hoffenheim drew 3-3 with Greuther Fuerth while on Sunday, Nuremberg are home to Augsburg and Stuttgart are at Hamburg.