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DRAW POINTS WAY TO BAYERN TITLE

Bayern Munich laboured to their 21st Bundesliga title on Sunday with a goalless draw at Wolfsburg.

A point was all Ottmar Hitzfeld's side needed to be crowned champions of Germany with three games of the season remaining, but they were made to work hard for it.

Wolfsburg had all of the chances and were unfortunate not to condemn their guests to their second defeat in four days but, for all their possession and chances, they could not find the goal which would have prolonged the title race at least until Wednesday.

Bayern will now celebrate the title in front of their own fans when they entertain Arminia Bielefeld in midweek.

How Bayern could have done with a result like this on Thursday when, dominated by Zenit St Petersburg, they crashed out of the UEFA Cup on the back of their heaviest defeat in Europe in over three decades.

Dominated by Wolfsburg on Sunday, Bayern still emerged with the point they needed to clinch the Bundesliga title.

It was one-way traffic almost from the off with the home side confidently galloping forwards with Grafite and Marcelinho both looking dangerous.

They made room behind lone striker Edin Dzeko, who broke through for the first chance of the game, but failed to keep his composure with just Michael Rensing to beat and fired his shot wide.

Minutes later, Dzeko was involved in the build-up before Christian Gentner shot over the crossbar from the edge of the area.

Marcelinho's first effort on goal came in the 18th minute when Grafite was fouled by Mark van Bommel on the edge of the penalty area. The Brazilian shot through the wall and Rensing punched clear.

Rensing, in for the rested Oliver Kahn, was in for a busy afternoon.

Marcel Schafer's shot was cleared by Daniel van Buyten before Marcelinho struck the last shot of the first half over the crossbar.

The Wolves continued to control the game with Dzeko setting up Marcelinho five minutes into the second half, but the former Hertha Berlin striker's shot was too weak when he really should have made Rensing work harder for the save.

Martin Demichelis and Van Buyten were extremely busy at the heart of the Bayern defence as the home side kept them under intense pressure.

But with their first chance of the game, the visitors could and probably should have gone ahead.

It came in the 73rd minute when Lukas Podolski dragged the ball back to substitute Toni Kroos, who had the whole of the goal to aim at from 10 yards, but pulled his shot wide.

Wolfsburg were tiring, but Grafite still found the energy to hit the post with 10 minutes remaining.

Yet the ball simply would not go in, even when Grafite found himself in front of Rensing again in the final minute only to shoot wide, and Bayern held on to the point they needed to end a disappointing week on a high.

SportingLife.com

DUISBURG CLIMB OFF THE BOTTOM

A stoppage-time winner from Blagoy Georgiev fired Duisburg to a 3-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen and off the bottom of the table.

Duisburg twice took the lead through Manasseh Ishiaku and twice surrendered it, courtesy of goals from Lukas Sinkiewicz and Tranquillo Barnetta, before Georgiev's decisive strike.

Rudi Bommer's men are now third from bottom, three points from safety with three matches to go.

Leverkusen controlled the early exchanges but fell behind after 14 minutes following a Duisburg corner and a defensive mix-up in the penalty area.

Ishiaku took advantage with Rene Adler powerless to stop it.

The lead lasted just four minutes, though, as Sinkiewicz headed home a free-kick from Sascha Dum, who was at least partly culpable for Duisburg's opener.

Ishiaku restored the lead after 36 minutes - he was all alone in the area as Georgiev's long cross reached him and the Nigerian striker headed his second.

Duisburg went in search of a third after the break and came close when Georgiev fired over from distance two minutes after the break.

The Bulgarian had an excellent chance just before the hour when he was played in by Claudio Niculescu, but he delayed and Gonzalo Castro tackled well.

Most of the pressure was at the other end though, and the equaliser duly came when Arturo Vidal's well-placed cross was met by the head of Barnetta.

Duisburg snatched the lead for the third and final time in the 91st minute.

Simon Rolfes' stumble in his own box proved costly as Georgiev took advantage to fire the winner.

SportingLife.com