Lewandowski inspires Bayern, BVB beaten

Bayern Munich 3–0 Eintracht Frankfurt

(Lewandowski 38‘, 55‘, Costa 41‘)

Robert Lewandowski scored his 100th goal for Bayern Munich, who beat Eintracht Frankfurt to go ten points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Branimir Hrgata was denied the opening goal by a world-class tackle from Mats Hummels, whose last ditch challenge was took the ball off the toes of the striker after he rounded Manuel Neuer and was about to score.

Frankfurt lasted for 38 minutes before Bayern made the breakthrough. It came courtesy of their talisman Lewandowski, who exchanged passes with Thomas Müller before sweeping the ball in from close range.

Bayern doubled their lead three minutes later through Douglas Costa, who got on the end of David Alaba’s cross from the left to turn the ball past Lukas Hradecky.

Lewandowski scored his second goal of the game – and his 100th goal in 136 games for Bayern – drilling a low shot in at the far post after Arjen Robben picked him out from the right.

Hertha Berlin 2–1 Borussia Dortmund

(Kalou 11’, Plattenhardt 71’ – Aubameyang 55’)

A thunderbolt from Marvin Plattenhardt gave Hertha Berlin a big victory over Borussia Dortmund in a bad-tempered game at the Olympiastadion.

Thomas Tuchel made four changes from the side that beat Benfica 4-0 in the Champions League, leaving out the impressive pair of Ousmane Dembele and Christian Pulisic from the start.

One of the players to come in, Matthias Ginter, was punished for the opener by Vedad Ibisevic, who did well to pick out Salomon Kalou at the far post, and the striker simply stroked the ball into the empty net.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leveled for Dortmund early in the second half, lashing in after Shinji Kagawa danced through the Hertha defense, setting the Gabonese striker up for his eighth goal in four games – and his 22nd in all competitions this season.

But Hertha re-established their lead midway through the second half through Plattenhardt, whose bullet free-kick from the edge of the box rifled into the top corner to give the home side the win.

RB Leipzig 0–1 Wolfsburg

(Gomez 9’)

An early strike by Mario Gomez was enough to give Wolfsburg a surprise win over second-placed Leipzig.

Wolfsburg scored inside nine minutes through a slick break involving Daniel Didavi and Gomez, who took a touch before finishing well into the roof of the net from close range.

Wolfsburg hit the post twice in quick succession in the second half – once from Didavi and then Gomez – as they threated a second, but in the end the one goal was enough against a jaded Leipzig.

 

Darmstadt 2–1 Mainz

(Sulu 5’, Sam pen 12’ – Quaison 45’)

Darmstadt picked up three points for only the fourth time this season to move to within three points of 17th-placed Ingolstadt.

The home side started brilliantly and were two up inside 12 minutes. The first came courtesy of Aytac Sulu’s header from Mario Vrancic’s corner, and Sidney Sam added another from the penalty spot after Jerome Gondorf was tripped.

Mainz got themselves back into the game just before half time through Robin Quaison, who bundled the ball in from close range after Pablo De Blasis’ header was saved.

Both teams ended the game with ten men. First Darmstadt’s Vrancic received a second yellow for a studs up challenge on Quaison, then Stefan Bell received his marching orders for a second booking in the final moments of the game.

 

Freiburg 1-1 Hoffenheim

(Philipp 56’ – Kramaric 60’)

Freiburg and Hoffenheim shared the spoils as Julian Nagelsmann’s men consolidated their fourth-place position. 

Freiburg took the lead when Florian Niederlechner was hacked down in the box. Maximilian Philipp stepped up to take the penalty and his initial effort was saved but the rebound went straight back to Philipp, who stroked it in.

But Freiburg’s lead was short lived. Andrej Kramaric bent a peach of a shot into the top corner from 25 yards to put Hoffenheim right back in the game.

Former Hoffenheim player Janik Haberer was centimeters away from giving Freiburg a second when his shot from the edge of the box came back off the post, as the game ended 1-1.

 

Ingolstadt 2-2 Cologne
(Lezcano 42', Bregerie 69' - Modeste pen 15', 60')

Ingolstadt salvaged a point against an Anthony Modeste-inspired Cologne after a Timo Horn howler.

Cologne took the lead from a Modeste penalty after a highly contentious penalty decision involving Yuya Osako.

A finely taken equalizer by Dario Lezcano squared the game before the break, but Cologne re-established their lead on the hour.

Latching onto Milos Jojic's through ball and marginally beating the offside trap, Modeste rolled the ball under Martin Hansen to put the visitors back into the lead.

But Ingolstadt salvaged a point courtesy of a Horn howler, as he let a harmless shot from distance squirm through his hands and into the net. 
 

Bundesliga Matchday 24, as it happened: