Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Lewandowski caps year to remember with late Bayern winner

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - December 19, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring their second goal Pool via REUTERS/Bernd Thissen

Robert Lewandowski hailed a year to remember as his two goals helped Bayern Munich come from behind to beat Bayer Leverkusen and go top of the Bundesliga on Saturday, capping a fantastic 12 months for him and his team.

Lewandowski's injury-time winner completed another comeback victory for Bayern, ensuring the champions sit top of the standings, ahead of Leverkusen, going into the Christmas break.

That 93rd-minute goal took the Pole's tally this calendar year to 32 just two days after becoming the first Bundesliga player to be crowned the world’s best at the FIFA Best Awards.

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - December 19, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring their second goal with Thomas Muller Pool via REUTERS/Bernd Thissen

"What a year we have had," Lewandowski told Sky Sport after Bayern's win.

"We always want more. And I hope that next year we will keep scoring goals like this to win matches in this way."

The win at Leverkusen was the champions' final match of a remarkable 2020, in which they won five trophies including the Champions League, finishing the calendar year having tasted just one loss in all competitions.

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - December 19, 2020 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates Pool via REUTERS/Bernd Thissen

Bayern did fall behind for the seventh successive Bundesliga match, but in each of those seven games they have not lost.

"We know we suffer from these attention deficits at the start of games," Bayern coach Hansi Flick told DW.

"But now we finally have a short break and it's something we want to improve. This was the ending that we all wished for, rounding off a fantastic year for the team."

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - December 19, 2020 Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry in action with Bayer Leverkusen's Daley Sinkgraven Pool via REUTERS/Bernd Thissen

Lewandowski's goals ended Leverkusen's unbeaten start to this Bundesliga season and their coach Peter Bosz felt the defeat was unjust, having seen his side take the lead through Patrik Schick’s fine volley.

"The result is undeserved and disappointing," Bosz said.

"Nevertheless, today the team showed that we can keep up with the best team in Europe. That has to give us confidence."

(Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Toby Davis)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.