Bayern returns top of Bundesliga with 4-1 win in Duesseldorf

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This article was published 14/04/2019 (2733 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BERLIN – After fighting with teammate Robert Lewandowski in training, Kingsley Coman struck again with two goals to help Bayern Munich return to the top of the Bundesliga with a 4-1 win at Fortuna Duesseldorf on Sunday.

Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka scored the other goals as Bayern reclaimed its 1-point lead from Borussia Dortmund, which scraped a 2-1 win over Mainz on Saturday.

Lewandowski failed to add to his league-leading tally of 21 goals but congratulated Coman on scoring. There was no sign of animosity between the two following their training ground punch-up on Thursday.

Duesseldorf, which grabbed a 3-3 draw in Munich earlier in the season, had its Bundesliga survival confirmed on Saturday thanks to relegation-rival Stuttgart’s defeat to Bayer Leverkusen and was effectively only playing for pride.

Bayern coach Niko Kovac made no changes from the team that started in the 5-0 rout of Dortmund the weekend before and was rewarded with another focused performance from his side.

Coman struck the post early on before Thiago Alcantara headed just wide. Bayern duly made its early pressure count through Coman in the 15th minute, when Thomas Mueller missed his cross before the ball flew inside the post.

Dawid Kownacki went close in response, but Coman struck again before the break when Joshua Kimmich pulled the ball back for the France winger to rifle inside the top far corner.

Gnabry effectively ended the game in the 55th after Mueller headed on a corner.

Dodi Lukebakio claimed Duesseldorf’s consolation from the penalty spot in the 89th, and there was still time for Goretzka to score in injury time.

Five games remain for both Bayern and Dortmund.

FRANKFURT BEATEN

Augsburg defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 away in Martin Schmidt’s debut as coach, dealing the home side its first league loss of the year and putting a dent in its Champions League aspirations.

“I took over a functioning team, a top team,” said Schmidt, who praised his predecessor Manuel Baum after taking over on Tuesday. “You can’t make a winning team out of a lazy troupe in a week.”

Frankfurt, which had Evan N’Dicka sent off early in its 4-2 loss at Benfica in the Europa League on Thursday, was again reduced to 10 men after captain Gelson Fernandes was sent off with his second yellow card after the break.

Augsburg was already 2-1 up at that stage and Michael Gregoritsch confirmed the visitors’ win late on.

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It lifted Augsburg seven points ahead of Stuttgart, which is in the relegation zone, ahead of their clash next weekend.

Frankfurt remained fourth, but Borussia Moenchengladbach is just a point behind.

Hoffenheim defeated Hertha Berlin 2-0 at home earlier to move sixth — the last place for Europa League qualification. It was Hertha’s fifth consecutive defeat.

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More AP German soccer coverage: https://apnews.com/Bundesliga and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports