Lewandowski helps Bayern open 9-point gap
Robert Lewandowski scored 15th goal in 16 league games as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich went nine points clear despite struggling to beat Cologne 1-0 on Wednesday.
The Poland hot-shot has failed to score in only four of Bayern’s league matches this season and has netted 21 goals in all competitions. With an hour gone at the Allianz Arena, Bayern went ahead when Thomas Mueller flicked the ball with the back of his head into Lewandowski’s path to tap home. Bayern have won 13 of their 14 games since Jupp Heynckes replaced Carlo Ancelotti as coach in October.
MADRID RALLY TO BEAT AL JAZIRA
Bale needed less than a minute to help Real Madrid reach the Club World Cup final after his team faced a potential shock elimination from the tournament.
Bale scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Emirates club Al Jazira 2-1 in Wednesday’s semifinal.
Madrid struggled early and allowed the local league winners to open the scoring with a goal by Brazilian forward Romarinho just before halftime. But Cristiano Ronaldo equalised early in the second half and Bale netted the winner less than a minute after replacing Karim Benzema.
WENGER WON’T ABANDON TITLE HOPE
Arsene Wenger has refused to give up on the Premier League title despite a goalless draw at West Ham United that left Arsenal 19 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
The manager of third-placed Chelsea Antonio Conte and his counterpart at fourth-placed Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino, have both conceded City will be impossible to overtake, but Wenger says he will not abandon hope of a first Arsenal title since 2004. “That’s good to make head- lines, but we have to focus on the next game,” he said.
“City are too far away to talk about the title at the moment, but it’s one thing to be far away, it’s another thing to give up. You don’t give up. Our job is to fight as long as we can.”
KLOPP DEFENDS ROTATION POLICY
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp insisted he won’t ditch his rotation policy after the German’s decision to make six changes back-fired in a 0-0 draw against lowly West Brom.
Asked if he felt his selection against West Brom worked, Klopp said: “That’s not my job to talk about. I made the decision already, and if we don’t win, for me, it’s like it didn’t work. That happens quite a lot in a managers life. But it would make no sense to be too frustrated about that.”
MILAN TO FACE INTER IN ITALIAN CUP QUARTERS
coach Gennaro Gattuso got back-to-back wins as AC Milan booked a quarterfinal clash with city rivals Inter Milan in the Italian Cup after a comfortable 3-0 last 16 win over Verona on Wednesday.
Goals from Suso, Alessio Romagnoli and Patrick Cutrone set up a December 27 date with Serie A leaders Inter, who needed a 5-4 win on penalties to squeeze past Serie C side Pordenone after their tie on Tuesday ended 0-0 after extra time.