BERLIN -- Bayern Munich ground out a hard-fought 2-0 victory over bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday to end the champions three-game winless streak in the Bundesliga. Claudio Pizarro broke the deadlock in the 75th minute, when Mario Goetze sent the Peruvian through, and Mario Mandzukic secured the win with four minutes remaining as the home side pushed for an equalizer. Bayern failed to impress for long periods, however, and will hope for improvement for Wednesdays Champions League semifinal first leg at Real Madrid. "It was important to win before the game against Real Madrid. It gives us confidence," Pizarro said. Second-place Borussia Dortmund secured Champions League football next season by defeating visiting Mainz 4-2, and Freiburg took a giant step in its fight against relegation by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach by the same score. "My players ... somehow worked out their luck today," Freiburg coach Christian Streich said. Augsburg drew 0-0 with Hertha Berlin, while Werder Bremen came from behind to beat Hoffenheim 3-1 and end its relegation fears. Wolfsburg defeated Hamburg 3-1 away in the late game to move provisionally fourth and leave the home side contemplating its first relegation from the Bundesliga. Ivan Perisic put visiting Hamburg ahead in the second minute after a great through ball from Luiz Gustavo, Kevin de Bruyne scored in the 31st, and Ivica Olic made it 3-0 four minutes after the break. Though Ivo Ilicevic pulled one back in the 58th, it might have been worse for the home side. Rene Adler was forced into at least two crucial saves, and Luiz Gustavo hit the post and the crossbar. The Brazilian was shown his second yellow card in the final minute. "We won hardly any challenges. We simply werent there," Hamburg midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu said. Hamburg, the only side to have played every Bundesliga season since the leagues formation in 1963, remains in the relegation playoff place, but could be overtaken on Sunday if Nuremberg beats Bayer Leverkusen, which can reclaim fourth. Bayern coach Pep Guardiola started arguably his strongest available side to fine tune for the trip to Madrid. Nevertheless, the home side frustrated the visitors through determined tackling, constant running, and a clear desire to avoid an immediate return to the second division. The effort eventually took its toll as players tired and Guardiola swung the game in Bayerns favour in the 73rd, with the introduction of Thomas Mueller and Mandzukic for Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. Despite TV replays showing he may have been offside when receiving the ball, Goetze unlocked the Braunschweig defence for Pizarro to hammer the ball under the crossbar. A long kick out from Lukas Raeder, making his first league start in goal, allowed Mandzukic to seal the win with his 18th goal of the season. Only Dortmunds Robert Lewandowski, who will replace or challenge the Croat for a starting place next season, has as many goals. Lewandowski scored again against Mainz as Dortmund assured itself of at least third place. Milos Jojic got Dortmund underway in the sixth minute with a 20-meter shot that took a deflection from Oliver Kirchs right hand. TV replays showed the Dortmund defender tried to take his arm out of the way. Shinji Okazaki equalized with another deflected effort in the 14th, but Lewandowski restored the home sides lead four minutes later, when Henrikh Mkhitaryan set up the Poland striker to finish coolly. Okazaki intercepted an inexplicable back-pass from Nuri Sahin to equalize again in the 54th, but Lukasz Piszczek made it 3-2 to Dortmund three minutes later, with a backward header from Marco Reus free kick. Reus then secured the result from the penalty spot in the 79th, after Niko Bungert was sent off for blocking Lewandowskis goalward shot with his arm. "It was outstanding what my squad delivered today," Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp said. "Another nine points from the last three games and everything is well." Freiburg denied Moenchengladbach the chance to go provisionally fourth, with the game turning after Freiburg goalkeeper Oliver Baumann saved Filip Daems penalty and Moenchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka was sent off for his second booking with the score still 1-1. Miami Heat Pro Shop . "Im proud, obviously. Its been a long day, but now Im a Crystal Palace player, Im very happy," Bannan said. "The seasons been started now for a couple of weeks and Ive not featured at Villa. Wholesale Heat Jerseys . 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The accusation by Kim Myers provided a bizarre twist during the trial of the world-famous double-amputee Olympian, who is facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder for shooting dead Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, at his home last year.BARCELONA, Spain - Mercedes rivals hope a busy three weeks of tinkering on their slower cars and the move to European tracks will be enough to at least threaten Lewis Hamiltons and Nico Rosbergs stranglehold on Formula One. The Mercedes pair head into Sundays Spanish Grand Prix after sweeping the first four races in impressive style, with the most compelling driving coming between the teammates while the pack puttered away in the distance. The switch to V6 turbo hybrid engines has dislodged Red Bull as F1s dominant team after four seasons, and Mercedes was also dealing far better than the rest with the new powertrain and other rule changes. Hamilton has led a Mercedes one-two finish with Rosberg in the last three races after the German won the season opener. The silver-and-teal duo have also taken all four pole positions, and set the fastest lap at each grand prix. "We are now four races into the 2014 season and hold a strong position in both championships," Mercedes team executive director Toto Wolff said. "However, the first European round of the year always provides a prime opportunity for teams to arrive with improvements to their cars. Of course, we are no different to any other team in that respect and our aim must be to increase the advantage we enjoyed at the last race in China." Neither Hamilton nor Rosberg has yet to win at the Circuit de Catalunya, although they did take the top two positions in qualifying here last year. Rosberg, who has a four-point lead over Hamilton in the championship, said that after years of racing and preseason tests at Barcelona "there is probably no other track in the world" that he knows better. "I also have some good memories of race weekends in Barcelona," Rosberg said. "Last year (...) I started from pole position so Im looking forward to going back there again, and maybe repeating that particular feat. Each team will have been pushing hard during the break to find some extra performance from new parts. So it will certainly be an interesting weekend.dddddddddddd." Red Bull will be counting on making strides after a dismal start to Sebastian Vettels title defence. Vettel has yet to finish better than third place, and has twice been ordered by his team to let new teammate Daniel Ricciardo pass him for higher finishes in the last two races. Vettel said a lot would depend on doing well in Saturdays qualifying because the track design offers few chances to challenge front-runners. The Montmelo circuit features one long straightaway before the first corner, which is considered the best for overtaking. It is also known to be tough on tires. Paul Hembery, the director of tire provider Pirelli, said that despite the tracks abrasive surface and high temperatures they expected teams to need only three pit stops instead of four as they have made in the past. Ferraris Fernando Alonso proved last season that wise tire management and smooth pit stops can be enough to compensate for a lack of overall speed. Alonso enters the race in a distant third place, with 41 points to Rosbergs 79 and Hamiltons 75, but after managing to finally reach the podium at Shanghai in Ferraris first race under new team principal Marco Mattiacci. The two-time former world champion has a strong record in front of his home fans, with wins here both last year and in 2006 to give him seven career podium finishes at the Spanish GP. His victory one year ago was Ferraris last as a team. With Alonso and teammate Kimi Raikkonen far behind the pacesetters, the Italian team will need a near perfect weekend to break its poor run. "With Fernando weve seen an extraordinary level of performance, scavenging every possible point at every possible opportunity," Ferrari technical director James Allison said. "We are learning how to get performance out of this new set of regulations, and hopefully to make this car more competitive. The key to a successful season is to keep improving your car at every race." ' ' '