Peruvian late show keeps Bayern clear at top

Claudio Pizarro struck two late goals to give Bayern Munich a 2-1 victory at Arminia Bielefeld yesterday and keep the champions five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Bayern, struggling without the injured Michael Ballack, were heading for a second league defeat of the season when Isaac Boakye put Bielefeld ahead after an hour but the introduction of Paolo Guerrero with 12 minutes to go changed the game.

Guerrero crossed for his fellow Peruvian international Pizarro to equalise in the 82nd minute and the same combination struck again in injury-time to give Bayern victory.

Second-placed Werder Bremen bounced back from their defeat by Bayern last time out with a 6-1 victory at home to VfL Wolfsburg, featuring two goals apiece from Tim Borowski and Miroslav Klose, a Naldo header and Frank Baumann's swept finish.

With 13 games played, Bayern Munich lead the standings with 34 points, followed by Werder Bremen on 29. Hamburg SV, who play at home to Duisburg today, are third on 25.

Schalke 04 are fourth on 22 after losing further ground in a 2-2 draw at Cologne.

Ballack, out of contract at the end of the season and considering a move abroad, dominated the headlines in Germany this week when Bayern announced they were withdrawing their offer of a new deal and starting the search for a replacement.

If coach Felix Magath was looking for a convincing performance yesterday to show they are more than a one-man band, he will have been disappointed.

Bayern created just one clear chance in the first half, when Ze Roberto set up Lucio for a powerful shot.

"Bielefeld were better than us," Magath admitted. "They ruled the game and I really didn't believe we could turn it around after their opening goal."

That goal came thanks to a moment of magic from Sibusiso Zuma, the outstanding player for all but the final 10 minutes.

The South African international touched the ball between Lucio and Valerien Ismael to create space on the left of the area, stepped past goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and pulled the ball back to give Boakye an easy finish.

Guerrero turned the game on its head. The 21-year-old, who burst through into the Bayern first team 12 months ago, surged down the right and crossed low for Pizarro to grab the equaliser.

Two minutes into injury-time, Guerrero took advantage of a defensive mistake to work space for a shot.

The goalkeeper managed to block but the ball fell kindly for Pizarro to run in and fire in the winner from the edge of the area.

Results

Kaiserslautern vs Nuremberg 1-3
Cologne vs Schalke 2-2
A. Bielefeld vs B. Munich 1-2
B. Dortmund vs H. Berlin 2-0
B. M'gladbach vs B. Leverkusen 1-1

Mainz vs E. Frankfurt 2-2
W. Bremen vs Wolfsburg 6-1
Hamburg vs Duisburg today
Stuttgart vs Hanover today