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Berlin, June 17 (IANS): Robert Lewandowski scored his 31st Bundesliga goal of the season as Bayern Munich claimed their eighth successive Bundesliga title and 29th overall with away victory to relegation-threatened Werder Bremen, with two rounds to spare in Germany's top flight.
On Tuesday, Bremen and Bayern went into the contest poles apart in the pre-Matchday 32 standings. Bremen knew a positive result would lift them out of the automatic drop zone into the relegation play-off spot, while Bayern needed a win to keep the title in Munich for another season.
Werder fired off the first shot of note when Maximilian Eggestein fizzed an effort wide from range, before Jerome Boateng chanced his arm with a fierce strike that Jiri Pavlenka did well to hold onto in sopping conditions.
Boateng turned provider late in a tight first half with an intuitive chipped pass into the box for Lewandowski. The Poland striker controlled with his chest and shot past Pavlenka on the stretch as Bayern, following a quick VAR review, took a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute of the game, as per the official Bundesliga website.
Nerves settled, Bayern went up a gear as Thomas Muller and Leon Goretzka threatened a second within moments of the restart. Bremen's backline did just enough to ward off the danger, but the Green-Whites were indebted to the linesman's offside flag in the 55th minute when Lewandowski turned in Joshua Kimmich's cross, only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside decision against Muller in the build-up.
Werder were sailing far too close to the wind for comfort as Lewandowski failed to make contact with Müller's come-and-get-me ball into the six-yard box, but were given a lifeline when Davies was sent off for a second yellow card. The hosts threw everything at Bayern in the closing stages - including Josh Sargent and Claudio Pizarro - and might have got something from the game but for Manuel Neuer's flying save to deny Yuya Osako's flicked header.
The result leaves Bremen second from bottom on goal difference, while champions Bayern have an unassailable 10-point lead at the summit with two games to spare.
Elsewhere, Borussia Monchengladbach overpowered Wolfsburg 3-0. While last placed Paderborn was relegated into the second division after losing 0-1 to newly-promoted Union Berlin, who remain another season in Germany's top flight.