It may not have been as easy as it has in years past, but Bayern Munich secured their fourth consecutive Bundesliga title this afternoon with a 2-1 win over fellow Bavarians Ingolstadt. Robert Lewandowski scored twice, one coming from the penalty spot to take his goal total up to 29 for the season.
Bayern would have clinched the league regardless of the result in Ingolstadt because Borussia Dortmund fell 1-0 to relegation-threatened Frankfurt. However, Bayern will be glad to have won the league on the back of their own performance and not their chief rival dropping points.
Ingolstadt, a team in their very first season in the Bundesliga, have had a terrific defensive record this campaign and must have hoped to delay Bayern’s party at least another week. Bayern put the pressure on early, however, and after fourteen minutes the visitors were awarded a penalty when Franck Ribery was brought down in the center of the box. Robert Lewandowski stepped up and scored his 28th with ease.
Is this the goal that delivers Bayern Munich their 4th straight Bundesliga crown? Lewandowski with the PK! https://t.co/uyAYxCUrE8
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 7, 2016
After opening the scoring Bayern kept up the pressure, Douglas Costa was sent in clean through and rounded the keeper, but a heavy touch and some excellent defending kept the Brazilian from rolling the ball into an empty net. Bayern didn’t have to wait long for another chance, and on 32 minutes Lewandowski scored his second of the day. It was an absolutely brilliant pass from Xabi Alonso that cut through the Ingolstadt defense and set up Lewandowski for his 29th goal of the season.
Xabi Alonso's pass on Lewandowski's 2nd goal 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 https://t.co/CZyGQqppFV
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 7, 2016
Bayern looked like they were free and clear to win their 26th Bundesliga title. Lewandowski had a chance to make it a first half hat-trick when he rounded goalkeeper Ramazan Ozcan but wasn’t able to score, much like Costa minutes before.
Alonso gave away a penalty shortly before halftime and Moritz Hartmann put it past Manuel Neuer to trim Bayern’s lead. It was the first time in 2 years that Bayern conceded a penalty in the league. Ingolstadt made sure that Bayern’s road to the championship would not be easy.
Bayern Munich concede their first penalty goal in the league in over two years as Ingolstadt are back in it! https://t.co/4L26Q3y5I0
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 7, 2016
The second half was largely uneventful, but most of the chances feel to Ingolstadt rather than Bayern, as the visitors seemed determined to defend their lead. Ingolstadt was never able to convert on these chances, but they kept Bayern under pressure for the final 45 minutes.
Bayern will now get to raise the Meisterschale for the 26th time in their history next Saturday when they finish off the season against Hannover. Pep Guardiola will end his time at Bayern with three Bundesliga titles out of three, which won’t completely erase the bitter defeat to Atletico Madrid during the week, but it’s still a great consolation prize.
The champions now have one more trophy to fight for when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Pokal on May 21 in Berlin. That will be Guardiola’s final match in charge of Bayern Munich, he’ll be itching to make it a good one.
