Rodriguez stars as Bayern maintain perfect start
JAMES RODRIGUEZ shone for Bayern Munich, scoring a goal and winning a penalty, as the German champions made it four wins from their first four Bundesliga games with a 2-0 victory at Schalke to stay top yesterday.
Rodriguez struck with just eight minutes gone at Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins Arena, expertly slipping his marker, former Bayern teammate Sebastian Rudy, to power home a header from Joshua Kimmich’s cross.
It was a sublime effort which left Schalke with too much to do, as they ended up suffering a fourth consecutive league defeat after finishing second last season, while Bayern are the only team with a 100% record.
The 27-year-old Colombian, making his first league start this season, should have scored his second when he squandered a golden chance five minutes after the break.
Veteran winger Franck Ribery sliced through Schalke’s defence and squared with goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann beaten, but Rodriguez slumped to the turf, head in hands, after firing wide with the goal at his mercy.
To compound Schalke’s problems, US international Weston McKennie, 20, was carried off with a leg injury on 50 minutes.
Rodriguez then effectively settled the matter on 63 minutes after a foul in the area by Alessandro Schoepf. Star striker Robert Lewandowski stepped up and smashed home the resulting spotkick to make it 2-0.
“We made a superb start and in the end deserved the win,” said Bayern’s exSchalke midfielder Leon Goretzka.
Earlier, second-placed Hertha Berlin, who host Bayern on Friday, had temporarily claimed top spot as captain Vedad Ibisevic scored twice in a 4-2 home win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.
“We know what we are capable of and want to show it every week.
“We want to play a good season and finish in the top half of the season,” Hertha coach Pal Dardai said
US international Christian Pulisic again rescued Borussia Dortmund, who had French defender Abdou Diallo sent off 15 minutes from time, with a late goal to equalise in a 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim.
“After the red card, many thought that it was over, but we came back. We can be happy with the result, we know that,” said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre, whose side are now third. – AFP