EUROZONE Brutal Bayern
RB Leipzig 0 Bayern Munich 1 LEON GORETZKA fired Bayern Munich ever closer to a ninth successive Bundesliga title with a win over closest rivals RB Leipzig.
Midfielder Goretzka scored the first-half winner, drilling a Thomas Muller cutback into the top right corner.
Bayern, even without star striker Robert Lewandowski who is sidelined for up to a month with a knee injury, moved seven points clear at the summit.
Leipzig bossed the first half but were wasteful with their finishing,
while the visitors were at their efficient best. No team has lost the title after leading by seven points at this stage of the season.
Leipzig head of football Oliver Mintzlaff said: “Bayern deserved the lead at half time because of their brutal efficiency.
“Our aim remains to qualify for the Champions League. We can still play the best season of our club history.”
Bayern had few chances apart from a shot from Leroy Sane and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s header besides Goretzka netting for his third goal in the last four league matches. And they survived a second-half siege as Leipzig squandered a host of golden opportunities in a powerful start after the break.
Neither Christopher Nkunku, Dani Olmo nor Marcel Sabitzer managed to hit the target though the latter did better on the hour with a long-range effort that forced Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to tip the ball over the bar.
Leipzig, who had won seven of their eight previous league games, couldn’t find an equaliser even after Julian Nagelsmann brought on three strikers late in the game.