The China Mail - Bayern survive St. Pauli scare to stay on course for title

Sane settled Bayern's nerves after an uneasy first half, as Vincent Kompany's side struggled once again against weaker opposition.

Having dropped unexpected points against Bochum and Union Berlin in recent weeks, Bayern were under pressure to avoid a third slip after reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen narrowed the gap to three points with a 3-1 win over Bochum on Friday.

Yet they looked sluggish against a fearless St. Pauli side who almost took the lead early on when a Jackson Irvine header hit the bar.

The visitors handed Bayern the opener on a silver platter just two minutes later, when left-back Siebe Van der Heyden was caught napping at left-back.

Van der Heyden was mugged of possession by Jamal Musiala and Bayern swarmed into the box, allowing Harry Kane to sweep the ball in from close range.

It was Kane's first goal against St. Pauli, meaning he has now scored against every team he has played against in the Bundesliga.

Unbowed, the visitors snatched a deserved equaliser just before the half-hour mark through Elias Saad.

The Tunisian forward slipped under the radar in the Bayern box and tapped in a Manolis Saliakas cross to score his first goal since September.

Sane restored the lead after half-time, smashing the ball in unchallenged after a clever switch of play left him with acres of space on the left.

He sealed the win 20 minutes from time, turning in a Kane cross from close range after a ruthless Bayern transition.

Yet Bayern still had to survive a nervy final few minutes after Lars Ritzka pulled one back for St. Pauli in added time.

- Blow for Leipzig -

Elsewhere, RB Leipzig suffered a bitter blow in the race for the Champions League spots with a 1-0 defeat at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

A poacher's finish from Alassane Plea saw Gladbach snatch a valuable three points and leapfrog Leipzig into fifth.

Werder Bremen overtook Borussia Dortmund in mid-table thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over bottom club Holstein Kiel.

Marvin Ducksch whipped a brilliant free-kick into the top corner from a tight angle to give Bremen the lead in the first half.

Felix Agu doubled the lead after the break with an equally elegant finish, curling the ball under the bar from the edge of the penalty area, before Marco Gruell made it three in added time.

Kiel are now five points adrift of safety after fellow strugglers Heidenheim snatched a 1-0 win away to Wolfsburg thanks to a first-half penalty from Marvin Pieringer.

Augsburg's Samuel Essende broke a Bundesliga record in his side's 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim, scoring the fastest goal ever by a substitute.

Essende netted just 10 seconds after coming on at half-time, but Andrej Kramaric levelled from the spot later in the second half, ending a 683-minute run without conceding for Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen.

W.Tam--ThChM