BERLIN – Robert Lewandowski struck twice as champions Bayern Munich eased past Freiburg 3-1 on Saturday and the Pole became the first foreign player to score 33 goals in a Bundesliga season.
Joshua Kimmich gave the hosts a deserved lead with a well-placed shot from a Lewandowski assist in the 15th minute.
The striker nodded in on the rebound in the 24th minute after Freiburg keeper Alexander Schwolow had blocked a Leon Goretzka shot before flicking in the third from a Lucas Hernandez cutback before halftime.
Lewandowski can still add to his tally on the final matchday but is unlikely to match Gerd Mueller's Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a season set in 1972.
Bayern are on 79 points, 10 clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/BundesligaMD33?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BundesligaMD33 pic.twitter.com/0sYlOEUUtL
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN)
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen suffered a damaging 2-0 loss at Hertha Berlin that all but killed off their chances of a spot in next season's Champions League as they dropped to fifth place in the Bundesliga standings.
Leverkusen, who had to win to stay in front of Borussia Moenchengladbach going into the last matchday next week, had the hosts on the back foot from the start and went close through Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz.
But Hertha struck on the break with Matheus Cunha's fifth goal in his 10th league game in the 22nd minute and doubled their lead nine minutes after the restart following Krzysztof Piatek's sensational solo run and Dodi Lukebakio's finish.
Leverkusen are fifth on 60 points with Gladbach on 62 following their 3-1 win over Paderborn.
Erling Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund beat closest challengers RB Leipzig 2-0 away to wrap up second place in the Bundesliga.
The Norwegian teenager kept up his sensational scoring run since his January arrival with his double taking his tally to 13 goals in 10 German League starts.
The victory guaranteed Dortmund would finish runners-up behind Bayern Munich for the fifth time in the last eight years as Leipzig, the only team that could catch them, needed at least a point to have a chance of finishing second.
Instead, Dortmund advanced to 69 points while Leipzig stayed in third place on 63 with just one more match to play next Saturday.
A job well done! ✅ pic.twitter.com/PlHI4JjVAC
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) June 20, 2020
A berth in next season’s Champions League is all but confirmed for Leipzig despite the defeat, after Bayer Leverkusen also lost on Saturday.
Fortuna Dusseldorf drew 1-1 with Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday to stay in pole position to secure a relegation playoff spot.
In-form Dusseldorf forward Rouwen Hennings' effort was chalked off by VAR for a foul inside the area before Augsburg took the lead inside 10 minutes.
Florian Niederlechner made a penetrating run on the left wing before curling the ball past goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier for his 13th league goal of the campaign.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Forsberg?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Forsberg:
"We made too many mistakes today, and we lacked our usual composure on the ball. We had hoped to win, but we're pleased that we're virtually guaranteed qualification for the Champions League." #RBLBVB pic.twitter.com/ufb5KH0E4U
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN)
Dusseldorf responded in the 25th minute as Hennings got his name on the scoresheet with a long-range strike.
The hosts held on to move two points clear of 17th-placed Werder Bremen, who lost 3-1 to Mainz 05.