Bayern extend Bundesliga lead to 11 points

Dec 16, 2017 - 7:42 PM Sven Ulreich saved a 95th-minute Chadrac Akolo's penalty as leaders Bayern Munich ground out a hard-fought 1-0 Bundesliga win at Stuttgart.

Ulreich got down to hold Akolo's weak spot-kick, awarded by the Video Assistant Referee for Niklas Sule's foul on Santiago Ascacibar.

It proved the final act of the match.

Second-half substitute Thomas Muller got Bayern's winner against stubborn opponents, firing a snapshot inside the near post in the 79th minute after being picked out by Kingsley Coman.

Defeat was harsh on the hosts, who slipped to a fourth straight loss without scoring despite a disciplined display which frustrated the visitors for long periods.

The victory, though, lifted Bayern 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table, with second-placed Schalke needing a late comeback to snatch a point in a 2-2 draw at top-four rivals Eintracht Frankfurt.

Schalke scored twice in the final 10 minutes to grab a point at Eintracht, but another draw - their fourth in five games - saw them lose further ground on the leaders.

Eintracht led through Luka Jovic after only two minutes and Sebastien Haller made it two in the 65th minute.

Breel Embolo pulled one back in the 82nd minute and, five minutes into time added on, Naldo, who scored the last-gasp leveller as Schalke came from 4-0 down to draw with Borussia Dortmund last month, grabbed another equaliser.

Dortmund moved up to third, two points behind Schalke, as they hit back to win 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim in the late kick-off.

Mark Uth put the visitors in front in the 21st minute, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised with a 63rd-minute penalty and Christian Pulisic grabbed the winner a minute from time, flicking the ball round the goalkeeper to score.

There was also late drama at Augsburg, with Alfred Finnbogason scoring twice in added time to complete his hat-trick and earn his side a 3-3 draw with Freiburg.

Finnbogason's opener put his side in front after a minute, but a leveller from Christian Gunter and a Nils Petersen double turned the match on its head.

But Finnbogason struck in the 91st and 93rd minutes to seal an unlikely point for his side.

Fabian Frei struck a 93rd-minute equaliser as Mainz came from two down to earn a 2-2 draw at fellow strugglers Werder Bremen.

The hosts looked to be cruising as Philipp Bargfrede and Ishak Belfodil struck inside the opening 17 minutes, but Robin Quaison halved the deficit 20 minutes from time and Frei's equaliser kept Bremen in the bottom three.

Cologne recorded their first Bundesliga win of the season - at the 17th time of asking - as Christian Clemens' 67th-minute goal saw off Wolfsburg.

Source: AAP