Movin' on up

Sun 4th Sep, 2011

Weekend wrap of local football action

Munich - If you listen carefully, that sound from the west is the city of Augsburg partying throughout the night and into the morning after their 2-1 pressure packed victory that earned them promotion into the Bundesliga for next season.

But they are not the only club celebrating a move up. Bayern Munich have their eyes set on improving their finish after clinching a spot in the Champions League. SpVgg Greuther Fürth have one more weekend to play for promotion. Here's your quick weekend wrap.

Bayern blowout St. Pauli, clinch Champions League berth - Mario Gomez scored a hat-trick, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribary both added two more goals, and FC Bayern München blew away St. Pauli 8-1.  

The win clinches a Champions League qualification spot for Munich as Hanover 96 lost, and they now set their sights on moving up the table and catch Bayer Leverkusen.

The loss for St. Pauli assures them relegation into the second division of the Bundesliga for next season.

"The (final score) is unbelievable and amazing," said Bayern interim coach Andries Jonker. "The first goal has been reached. I'm looking forward to the Stuttgart match where we will come in full guns blazing and put pressure on Leverkusen."

Gomez opened up the scoring only 10 minutes in with a goal, and they team took only a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Bayern are currently on an 8-match unbeaten streak, outscoring opponents 28-6 becoming the highest scoring team in the league and increasing their goal differential to +40 - a stat that may help them accomplish their next goal.

The Reds now have a shot at moving into second in the league table as Leverkusen drew at Hamburg. If they slip up again next Saturday and lose at Freiburg, and Bayern stay in form and win, both teams will end the season with the same total of points, but it will be Munich who will earn second spot and the automatic Champions League berth based on their goal differential

"It is great that we reached our minimum goal," said league-leading scorer Mario Gomez with 27 goals. "We are happy that we are now third and hopefully second."

The final match day of the Bundesliga will have some excitement. Bayern will host VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena, kickoff Saturday at 15:30.

Fürth's fight to the finish - For a few minutes Sunday afternoon, SpVgg Greuther Fürth enjoyed a move up in the second division table as they finished off a 4-1 victory at Red-White Oberhausen. The team in front of them, VfL Bochum, were about to end their match with VfL Osnabrück in a 1-1 draw. But lighting struck twice for Bochum in stoppage time, giving them a 3-1 victory and the necessary three points to hold onto the promotion playoff spot.

Going into the final match day, Bochum have 62 points, Fürth 60 points.  A Bochum win and they will play for a spot in the Bundesliga next year.  A draw versus MSV Duisburg and a win by Fürth against Fortuna Dusseldorf will give both teams 63 points, and Fürth's goal difference will keep Bochum in the second league. A loss by Bochum and a win by Fürth has the same result.

1860 and FC Ingolstadt play to 1-1 draw - The last Bavarian Derby of the season, the Lions score early but American Edson Buddle scores the equalizer.

Nuremberg fall short of Europe in loss - After barely surviving a regulation playoff at the end of last season, 1. FC Nürnberg can be proud of this season and solid results. But right now, only disappointment can be felt by the Bavarian neighbors a bit north of Munich. Gylfi Sigurdsson scored minutes from time as 1899 Hoffenheim beat Der Club 2-1 at easyCredit Stadium. The loss only added to the disappointment as Mainz beat Schalke and it will be Mainz who will play in the Europa League next season.


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