Arjen Robben was the hero as Bayern made it seven wins on the bounce in all competitions and moved to within three points of Bundesliga leaders Dortmund with a narrow but deserved success away to FC Nürnberg on Saturday. It was the kind of victory that can win championships, as FCB found the going tough at times against stubborn FCN, but never let up their attacking efforts and were rewarded with the points.
The 48,548 full house at Easy-Credit-Stadion for the 184th all-Bavaria derby saw the home side hassle and niggle at their patently more skilled opponents and effectively stifle Bayern’s normal passing game for long spells, as a first half light on chances ended goalless.
Mario Gomez had a perfectly good goal disallowed on a poor offside call midway through the second period, but Robben broke the deadlock with 20 minutes to go and the men from Munich held on through a frantic closing phase to register what could prove an utterly vital win.
With six games to go in the 34-match season, the result takes Bayern onto 60 points, now only three off Dortmund and seven clear of third-placed Schalke, who visit Hoffenheim on Sunday. FCB’s next match is the decisive Champions League quarter-final second leg against Olympique Marseille at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, before another all-Bavaria affair in the league when Augsburg visit Munich next Saturday.
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