WATCH: Bayern Munich Clinches Record Sixth Straight Bundesliga Title
The Bundesliga title belongs to Bayern Munich yet again.
Bayern overcame an early own goal to defeat Augsburg 4-1 on Saturday, clinching Germany's top-flight championship for a record sixth consecutive season–and doing so with five matches to spare. The romp to the title wasn't certain in the fall, when Bayern uncharacteristically stumbled, but manager Jupp Heynckes returned to replace the ousted Carlo Ancelotti, and Bayern found its top form. Bayern won its first five league matches under Heynckes, who had stepped away after leading the club to a historic treble in 2012-2013, and has lost just twice in 22 Bundesliga games since he took charge. A 10-match winning streak that straddled the league's winter break was definitive in the road to the title.
The championship is Bayern's record 28th in Germany's top flight, by far and away the most. FC Nurnberg is next with nine–its last coming in 1967-68.
Augsburg was the one that came out on the front foot, looking to avoid being a footnote to history, with Brazilian midfielder Caiuby firing a warning shot just wide of Sven Ulreich's goal in the opening minutes.
Augsburg continued to pressure and employ a high press, and the hosts came close again in the 16th minute, with Daniel Baier staying onside on the left channel and putting his close-range chance off the outside of the left post.
The pressure was rewarded a couple of minutes later. Jerome Boateng was coerced into a turnover, with Sergio Cordova pouncing and breaking toward goal. His chance was saved by Ulreich, but the rebound ricocheted off Niklas Sule's face and into the goal to make it 1-0 Augsburg.
Bayern Munich pulled even about a quarter of an hour later. Corentin Tolisso was left completely unmarked six yards from goal, and Joshua Kimmich found him with a pinpoint cross, which he headed home for the equalizer to make it 1-1.
Bayern took its first lead in the 38th minute after a gorgeous sequence. Kimmich nutmegged his defender before whipping in a cross toward Juan Bernat. The Spanish international used a back heel to seemingly try and set himself up, but it wound up in the path of James Rodriguez, who pounced and fired inside the left post to give Bayern a 2-1 edge and put the club on course for the title.
Arjen Robben provided the insurance strike to all but wrap up the win and the title in the 62nd minute, with Augsburg unable to clear after a chaotic sequence in its own area. The veteran Dutchman finished it off with a wicked left-footed strike, making it 3-1.
Sandro Wagner, acquired in the winter transfer window, finished off the title triumph with a clinical header from eight yards out in the 87th minute off a corner kick.
Here were the lineups for the match, with Bayern clearly prioritizing its Champions League quest given its margin for error in the league:
Bayern returns to action on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena, where it will look to protect its 2-1 lead over Sevilla in the Champions League quarterfinals.
