Bayern breaks 30-year-old German record

European champion Bayern Munich set a record for the longest unbeaten run in Bundesliga history with a 3-0 victory at home over Augsburg on Saturday.

Bayern has now gone 37 league matches since its last defeat, at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2012, breaking Hamburg's previous record of 36 from January, 1983.

"The record is unbelievable, it's not easy to go 37 games without defeat. Congratulations to the club," said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, who took charge in June.

"I have noticed that every game is a lesson for me in understanding my team."

Guardiola's Bayern faces its biggest test in a fortnight when it travels to second-placed Borussia Dortmund in a repeat of last season's Champions League final.

"Dortmund will be a good, good test for us and our level," said Guardiola.

The manager also set a personal record as he celebrated his 12th league match without defeat - the best start by a new Bundesliga coach with 32 points.

The Champions League holder opened the scoring at Munich's Allianz Arena when Germany centerback Jerome Boateng headed home from a corner after just five minutes.

France winger Franck Ribery then smashed home a direct free kick on 42 minutes before Germany's Thomas Mueller netted a penalty in the fifth minute of injury time.

Bayern, which has won 31 of its past 37 Bundesliga matches, was without Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger, who will miss forthcoming internationals against Italy and England with an ankle injury.

It was Bayern's second milestone of the week after it equaled Barcelona's record from the 2002-03 season of nine consecutive Champions League wins with a 1-0 victory at Viktoria Pilsen.

Breaking records is nothing remarkable for Bayern these days having set or equaled 25 league records under Guardiola's predecessor, Jupp Heynckes, last season.

Heynckes stood down in May, with his side unbeaten in its previous 25 league games, after Bayern won the treble of European, cup and Bundesliga titles last season.

Bayern also extended its lead at the top of the table to four points as second-placed Borussia Dortmund went down 2-1 at VfL Wolfsburg.

It was Dortmund's second defeat of the week after losing to 1-0 at home to Arsenal in the Champions League.

After Germany winger Marco Reus put Dortmund ahead with a thunderbolt of a free kick on the stroke of halftime, Wolves hit back to pick up their fourth straight victory to leave them fifth.

Swiss defender Ricardo Rodriguez smashed home a free kick before Croatia striker Ivica Olic hit a great goal in off the far post with 20 minutes left.

"We gave away too many free-kicks, which allowed the opposition some practive in taking them," lamented Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, adding centre-back Neven Subotic has a suspected cruciate knee injury.

"Olic's goal was a dream. It should have been blocked, but that didn't happen. Neven Subotic's injury is terrible news."

Third-placed Bayer Leverkusen is level with Dortmund on 28 points after beating Hamburg 5-3 with South Korea's star striker Son Heung-min scoring a hat-trick.

Son scored after nine and 16 minutes before hitting his third on 55 minutes, before setting up Stefan Kiessling for Leverkusen's fourth.

Schalke bounced back from its Champions League defeat at Chelsea as it came from behind to beat Werder Bremen 3-1 with Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng netting two headers.

(China Daily 11/11/2013 page24)