Bayern double victories, Haching win big on the road

FC Bayern remain in the race - The Reds jumped on Hoffenheim early and Arjen Robben scored two goals to win 4-0 and save their coach's job for now.  FCB move back to third in the table, the lone Champions League qualification spot, and are in striking distance to climb up into the automatic spot.

Mario Gomez scored his 17th goal of the season only 80 seconds in, Thomas Müller added a second one minutes later, and the hosts had a 2-nil lead after only a quarter of an hour.

Robben's brace in the second half and Franck Ribéry's creative play throughout the match may indicate both are back in form and may provide the boost needed to solidify their team's position in the table and their coach Louis van Gaal's future.  However, as always is the case for Bayern, it will be a week-to-week story depending on the result:  are they in, are they out? Is van Gaal fired, or is he safe? 

The next four weeks will be telling, as they will be playing against teams who sit in the top half of the table, starting with a match at Mainz next week and then a home date with leaders Dortmund, with a Champions League match against defending champions Inter Milan at the San Siro sandwiched in between.  Stay tuned.

Bayern Basketball ready for Showdown - It's all set this coming Sunday - Bayern vs. Würzburg.  Thanks to wins by both teams over the weekend, the sold-out Olympiahalle will be treated to a match between the top two teams in the ProA, the second division of the Basketball Bundesliga.

Bayern shook off a slow start in the first half at Chemnitz, locked down defensively in the decisive 3rd quarter to take home a 79-67 win over the 99ers.  Aleksandar Nadjfeji and Chad Prewitt both scored 15 points to lead Bayern to victory.

Chemnitz jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the 1st quarter but a 10-0 run by Bayern helped the visitors stay in the game.  Gary Johnson was once again the leading scorer for the opponents, his 20 points and Ty Shaw's contribution of 17 points and 10 rebounds helped the hosts go into halftime with a 34-33 lead.  It was back-and-forth throughout match, until Prewitt, Beckham Wyrick and Bastian Doreth connected on 7 shots from beyond the arc, outscoring the 99ers 27-13 in the 3rd quarter that turned the match around.

s.Oliver Baskets also woke up in time, for them it was the 4th quarter, outscoring Karlsruhe 19-10 in the final stanza to break open a close match, and winning 55-44.

If Würzburg lose this coming week, they may have to fight for the second automatic promotion spot for the top flight, as Chemnitz showed it won't be deterred.

Sunday afternoon the match tips off at 14:30

Haching shake off disappointment and win - If there were any lingering effects from their midweek loss in Poland, Generali Haching quickly put it aside and dominated SCC Berlin 3-1 (25:17, 25:20, 24:26, 25:17) to stay tied atop the Volleyball Bundesliga table.

Head coach Mihai Padretu changed his starting lineup by sitting Denis Kaliberda and Leo dos Santos and inserting Roko Sikiric and Robert Hupka in their stead.  The changes paid off, as Sikiric was aggressive in his attacks and Hupka provided support in the blocks.  Sikiric's kills were consistent in all four sets and he rightfully earned MVP of the match in front of 5000 fans.

"We found our old form and supremacy in the match," said assistant coach Berti Golf.  "Berlin had no chance."

"We played perfectly, especially the first two sets," added captain Max Günthör.  "We can be proud of ourselves, to come into this arena and win."

Generali share the top of the table with VfB Friedrichshafen, as both teams have 30 points.  They will face each other in one month in a league match at the Bodensee.

TSV are home Wednesday evening to host TV Bühl, first serve at 19:30.