Bayern floor Frankfurt to stay seven-points clear

BERLIN (AFP) –

Bayern Munich players celebrate a goal during their German first division match against Eintracht Frankfurt in Munich, southern Germany. Bayern Munich maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 2-0 win at home to third-placed Frankfurt to maintain their stranglehold on top spot.

Bayern Munich maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 2-0 win at home to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.

After Munich’s 6-1 rout of Lille on Wednesday in the Champions League, Bayern laboured against a dogged Frankfurt defence with Eintracht having won six of their 11 league games this season on their return to Germany’s top flight.

“It was a hard-fought victory, it is not always easy to flip the switch from Champions League back to Bundesliga and we weren’t as determined as usual,” said Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes.

“When things don’t run smoothly, you have to play smart and intelligent football, which is what we did.”

Bayern took the lead just before half-time when defensive midfielder Javi Martinez set up Franck Ribery to fire home from five metres out on 44 minutes.

Munich doubled their lead when midfielder David Alaba converted a 77th-minute penalty after a foul on midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Second-placed Schalke 04 stayed in touch with Bayern after coming from behind to beat Werder Bremen 2-1 in Gelsenkirchen.

Bremen’s Aaron Hunt scored his third goal in two games on 16 minutes to put the visitors ahead at the Veltins Arena.

But Schalke midfielder Roman Neustaedter celebrated his first call-up to the Germany team on Friday with the equaliser on 59 minutes as he rose highest to a corner and header home.

The 24-year-old has been included by Germany coach Joachim Loew for Wednesday’s friendly with Holland in Amsterdam.

His Germany team-mate Julian Draxler then scored Schalke’s second after finishing off a superb counter-attack started by the Royal Blues’ goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall on 69 minutes.

FC Augsburg’s defender Sebastian Langkamp (R) and Dortmund’s striker Robert Lewandowski jump for the ball during their German first division Bundesliga football match in Augsburg, southern Germany. Dortmund won 3-1.

Defending champions Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth with a 3-1 win at bottom side Augsburg.

Having only been denied victory by a late goal at Real Madrid on Tuesday in the 2-2 Champions League draw, Dortmund returned to domestic business with a convincing display.

After Germany midfielder Marco Reus fired home a superb free-kick after eight minutes, Poland striker Robert Lewandowski showed his class with goals on 51 and 70 minutes before Sascha Moelder scored a late header for Augsburg.

“That was hard work in the first half, it was a very, very tight match, with a wonderful goal for us, then our goalkeeper reacted well to deny Augsburg,” said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

“Things were clearly better in the second-half, we scored two nice goals and controlled the game.”

Dortmund are now hard on the heels of third-placed Eintracht and just a point behind, but Bayer Leverkusen can jump from fifth to third if they win at Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Hamburg were held to a goalless draw by Freiburg while ten-man Hoffenheim drew 1-1 at home to Fortuna Duesseldorf after defender Marvin Compper was sent off for the hosts after a second yellow card.

On Sunday, VfB Stuttgart host Hanover 96 and Greuther Fuerth are home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel has meanwhile said he will make a formal complaint to the German Football Federation (DFB) about the conduct of the fourth official during Friday’s 2-1 win at home to Nuremberg.