Created on 09-03-2013 at 00:00 AM
Bayern extended their unbeaten run to 23 games in all competitions and won for the 11th time on the bounce with a tight but deserved victory over Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday, although the leaders made heavy weather of the promoted club at times and needed a late winner, Jerome Boateng’s maiden Bundesliga strike, before wrapping up the win and moving 20 points clear at the top of the standings.
The 71,000 sell-out crowd at the Allianz Arena saw Mathis Bolly hand the visitors a shock 16th-minute lead, but Munich were finally rewarded for a spell of relentless pressure and any number of excellent chances with Thomas Müller’s equaliser on the stroke of half time.
The home team continued probing and pushing after the break but again failed to put away a string of presentable openings. The wastefulness was punished on 71 minutes when Andreas Lambertz stunned the home crowd with the visitors’ second, but Franck Ribery levelled almost immediately, and Boateng crashed home a superb winner four minutes from time to
An eighth win in eight league games since the winter break means FCB now have a record 66 points from their 25 matches and, with both Dortmund and Leverkusen losing, now lead the league by a massive 20 points. The Bavarians are at home again on Wednesday when Premier League powerhouses Arsenal visit the Allianz Arena in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg, before returning to domestic action away to struggling Leverkusen next Saturday afternoon.