Claudio Pizarro 14

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Peruvian late show keeps Bayern clear at top

Claudio Pizarro snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to keep Bayern Munich five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga after a 2-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld.

The Peruvian netted twice inside the last 10 minutes after Isaac Boakye had put Arminia Bielefeld on the way to what looked like being a famous victory.

Pizarro's 82nd-minute equaliser was classic Bayern, sweeping home from a clinical counter-attack, but his second owed everything to a stoppage-time blunder from Heiko Westermann.

The first half brought little clue of the drama to unfold as both sides failed to carve out a significant opening.

Pizarro sent a 30-yard blast over the bar in the second minute before Mathias Hain dealt easily with a Roy Makaay free-kick.

A low shot from Lucio also failed to threaten the Bielefeld keeper, who was barely tested in the opening period.

Bielefeld saw a penalty appeal waved away half-an-hour in when Sibusiso Zuma's spectacular run was ended by Bayern keeper Oliver Kahn - the referee indicating the South African had lost his footing.

Bayern introduced Sebastian Deisler for the disappointing Bastian Schweinsteiger at half-time but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock thanks to the dynamic duo of Zuma and Boakye, with the latter firing home Zuma's clever cut-back.

Kahn needed all his agility to stop Zuma bagging a goal for himself, a save that proved crucial as Bayern gained a foothold in the game - although Willy Sagnol almost put through his own net.

The champions' pressure eventually told, as Paolo Guerrero burst down the right flank before chipping a cross to Pizarro, whose low shot gave Hain no chance.

However, the keeper did himself proud with a brilliant reflex save from Pizarro's header but he was again helpless in the 92nd minute when Westermann gifted the ball to Guerrero whose deflected shot landed right at the feet of Pizarro, who couldn't miss.

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