MUNICH-- Bayern Munich dismantled Arsenal 5-1 in Champions League Group F on Wednesday after a sensational first-half performance to close on the knockout stages with two matches left.
The Bavarians, who struck three times in the first half through Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Mueller and David Alaba, avenged their 2-0 loss in London last month -- their only defeat this season -- with a dominant performance that underlined their title aspirations.
Substitute Arjen Robben, making his first appearance in the competition this season after a long injury break, added a fourth soon after coming on in the 55th minute and Mueller grabbed a late fifth. Bayern top the group on nine points.
Injury-hit Arsenal, woeful at the back and toothless up front, pulled a goal back through Olivier Giroud but are bottom on three points after their third loss, behind Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb.
Arsenal need to win their remaining two games to maintain their slim chances of reaching the last 16.
Lewandowski, who had never scored against keeper Petr Cech, headed the hosts into the lead with the Poland striker, top scorer in the Bundesliga, beating the off-side trap to score his fourth goal in the competition with a glancing header from a Thiago cross.
The 33-year-old Czech keeper, who had denied Lewandowski with two superb saves in London, could do nothing as the striker made a clever move to wrongfoot defenders and was completely unmarked in front of goal.
A minute later Arsenal's Mesut Ozil put the ball in the Bayern net but it was ruled for hand ball with the Germany international booked.
With Bayern setting a frantic pace in the first half quick wingers Kingsley Coman and Douglas Costa kept slicing through with the Arsenal defenders' heads spinning as Lewandowski kept Cech busy.
It did not take long for Bayern to score again as Mueller drilled in his third goal of the campaign with a deflected shot on the half hour.
Bayern kept up the pressure and Mueller forced another good save from Cech before Alaba's 20-metre effort gave the keeper no chance just before the break.
Coach Pep Guardiola brought on Robben early in the second half and the Dutchman, a crowd favourite, delivered instantly, killing off the game 37 seconds later with his first touch from an Alaba cutback.
Giroud scored for Arsenal in the 70th with a fine first touch and flying volley for his seventh goal in his last seven games but it came too late to change anything for the English club and Mueller completed Bayern's rout.
PARIS-- Lamine Diack, the former head of world athletics, has been placed under formal investigation in France on suspicion of corruption and money laundering following a complaint from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The inquiry, confirmed by the French financial prosecutor's office on Wednesday, comes at a time when the image of world sport's governing bodies is under serious scrutiny. There is a large-scale corruption investigation at soccer's FIFA while athletics is fighting a desperate public relations rearguard battle in the face of continual doping issues.
According to French news channel iTELE, the investigation is focused on suspicions that payments were made in return for not revealing widespread doping of Russian athletes.
The prosecutor's office did not confirm that but said its investigation started when WADA alerted it to "acts of corruption and laundering involving members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)."
WADA said it would hold a press conference on Monday to discuss the issues and added in a statement: "These investigations are a result of information passed on by WADA's Independent Commission (IC) to the relevant authorities."
Diack, from Senegal and an ex-long jumper who was born in 1933, headed the IAAF for the best part of a decade from 1999. He was held for questioning on Sunday together with his legal adviser Habib Cisse, who was also placed under formal inquiry on Tuesday.
Under French law, magistrates place a person under formal investigation when they believe there are indications of wrongdoing, but that does not always lead to a trial.
The investigation "concerns money movements and goes beyond doping", a source in the French judiciary said.
The Monaco-based IAAF confirmed a police swoop took place at its headquarters on Tuesday "to carry out interviews and access documentation". It said it was fully cooperating with the probe.
The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) chief ethics and compliance officer Paquerette Zappelli said: "In light of the criminal investigation against Mr Lamine Diack, who is an IOC honorary member, I have decided to refer this case to the IOC's Ethics Commission."
Diack's son, Papa Massata Diack, stepped down from his role as an IAAF marketing consultant last year during an investigation into allegations of doping in Russia.
The head of Russia's Athletics Federation (VFLA), Valentin Balakhnichev, has also resigned from his role as IAAF treasurer. Dr Gabriel Dolle, the director of the IAAF medical and anti-doping department, also left the federation.
Nikita Kamaev of Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA said in an interview with the Russian R-Sport news agency that his organisation was ready to help French investigators if contacted and Russian sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told the TASS agency that his country's athletics federation had cleaned up its act.
"We have already said that there were problems with our federation, but the old management are no longer working there," he said. "You have to understand that now there are a lot of criminal cases around the world, and it is not an easy situation to be in."
A doctor in charge of anti-doping matters at the IAAF was also held for questioning in addition to Diack and Cisse.
Reuters was not immediately able to reach the three men for comment.
An IOC spokesman said: "The International Olympic Committee is standing for clean sports and good governance. It is therefore following these ongoing inquiries very closely and awaits the full facts coming to light."
The IAAF's new British president, Sebastian Coe, was at IAAF headquarters at the time of the police raid and "volunteered himself to answer any questions", a source familiar with the investigation told Reuters.
"He answered any questions they wanted," the source said. "But they did not come here to question Seb Coe."
Coe, a two-time Olympic 1,500-metres champion elected IAAF president in August, was not immediately available for comment.
Elected on a strong anti-doping platform, Coe said this week in India: "It's not uniquely a track and field problem. Every sport in the world has global issues. We have them but we also resolve them."
SHARJAH - Opener Mohammad Hafeez made a brave unbeaten 97 to lift Pakistan to 146 for three, 74 runs ahead of England at the close on a tense third day of the final test in Sharjah on Tuesday.
England claimed a 72-run first-innings lead to push for a series-levelling victory but Hafeez and Azhar Ali shared an opening partnership of 101 to bring the hosts back into the match.
Ali was farcically run out for 34, James Anderson trapped Shoaib Malik lbw for nought and Stuart Broad dismissed Younus Khan for 14 in the final session to give England hope after they had been bowled out for 306 soon after lunch.
Jonny Bairstow (43) and Samit Patel (42) contributed useful cameos while Ben Stokes came out to bat despite a broken collarbone before being the last man out.
Hafeez, on two, was given out caught behind off Anderson but the opener immediately reviewed the decision and got it overturned.
After adding nine more runs to his score, the right-hander edged Moeen Ali but wicketkeeper Bairstow could not pouch the deflection.
Earlier, England lost three wickets on the third morning after resuming on 222-4.
The visitors' hopes of forging a big first innings advantage on the Sharjah Cricket Stadium's slow surface suffered a double blow when they lost both their overnight batsmen early.
James Taylor (76) added just two runs before he edged left-arm paceman Rahat Ali behind for wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed to complete a low one-handed diving catch to his right.
Taylor's dismissal ended a resolute stand of 89 and Bairstow soon followed him back to the pavilion after he failed to read an arm ball from left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar and was bowled.
Patel, who passed his previous test best score of 33, and Adil Rashid offered resistance, forcing captain Misbah-ul-Haq to call on part-time off-spinner Malik.
He repaid his captain's trust by dismissing Rashid in his second over of the day with Ali completing a sharp, low catch at short leg.
Malik went on to dismiss Anderson and Stokes to claim test best figures of 4-33.
Stokes will not bowl again in the match.
"His injury will be reviewed in seven-to-10 days once it has had a chance to settle. A decision about his return to play will be taken at this time," the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement.
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands-- Juergen Locadia and Luuk de Jong scored second-half goals as PSV Eindhoven secured a 2-0 Champions League victory at home against VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday to blow Group B wide open.
The win moves PSV into second place, level with Wolfsburg on six points from four matches, but ahead of the Germans on goals scored with their head-to-head record identical.
They are one point behind leaders Manchester United, 1-0 winners at home to CSKA Moscow, who are bottom on four points.
The first half was short on goalmouth action but was played at pace, as the home side took the game to Wolfsburg after successive losses on previous matchdays, including a 2-0 defeat in Germany a fortnight ago.
Locadia forced a fine low save from visiting keeper Diego Benaglio late in the half after Wolfsburg's Dutch forward Bas Dost had seen his shot saved at point-blank range at the other end.
Yet Locadia, who missed a penalty when the teams last met, broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second period after being set free by a brilliant pass from De Jong.
With plenty of time to pick his spot, the 21-year-old thrashed the ball into the back of the net to ignite furious celebrations.
Adam Maher had a chance to extend PSV's lead but watched in agony as his header shaved the frame of the goal with Benaglio beaten.
It was 2-0 on 86 minutes though as PSV's top scorer De Jong capped a fine night with a chipped finish for his 14th goal in all competitions this season and first in the Champions League.
MADRID- - Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has been relying on second-string players to get the club through a mini injury crisis but should have several of his heavyweights back when Paris St Germain visit in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Playmaker James Rodriguez, striker Karim Benzema and captain and centre back Sergio Ramos all look likely to be fit for the clash at the Bernabeu as the record 10-times winners look to pull clear of PSG at the top of Group A.
Midfielder Luka Modric may not be available after he was taken off at halftime in Saturday's 3-1 La Liga win at home to Las Palmas with a sore hip, while it is unclear when forward Gareth Bale might return from a calf injury.
With a string of regulars missing in recent weeks, Benitez has deployed youngsters like Casemiro, Jese, Lucas Vazquez and Nacho -- who all graduated from Real's B team -- to keep their season ticking over.
Real remain unbeaten in La Liga and are joint top with champions Barcelona on 24 points after 10 matches. The goal they conceded to Las Palmas on Saturday -- a header at a corner -- was the first they conceded at home this season.
"I told the players that these are the games they have to make the most of," Benitez said.
"They are collecting points for us and they are helping us maintain our competitiveness so the team can keep growing.
"When the other players return it will be harder but the important thing is that they are available and they contribute to keeping the team winning."
PSG coach Laurent Blanc was pleased to come through Friday's Ligue 1 match at Rennes with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from former Real midfielder Angel Di Maria and without sustaining any injuries to key players.
Blanc, whose side are also unbeaten this term, has been without centre back David Luiz after he sustained a knee injury on duty with Brazil last month.
Real and PSG drew 0-0 at the Parc des Princes last month in their first competitive game in more than 20 years and are tied on seven points from three of six matches.
A win for either side would earn a place in the last 16 should Malmo lose at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.
