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Attendance: 31,500
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Bundesliga | Gameweek 18
Jan 18, 2019 at 7.30pm UK
 
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1-3

Schulz (59')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Goretzka (34', 45'), Lewandowski (87')

Bayern Munich keep the pressure on Borussia Dortmund with defeat of Hoffenheim

Bayern Munich keep the pressure on Borussia Dortmund with defeat of Hoffenheim
© Reuters
Goretzka (2) and Lewandowski on target in away success.

Bayern Munich closed the gap at the top of the Bundesliga to three points after beating Hoffenheim 3-1 at the Rhein-Neckar Arena.

Two goals from Leon Goretzka in the first half set Bayern up for their first points at Hoffenheim in three Bundesliga seasons.

The hosts pulled one back through Nico Schulz, who fired the ball past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from outside the area, only for Robert Lewandowski to wrap up the success.

Lewandowski had an early chance to take the lead when he controlled a cross from David Alaba but his volley went just wide of the target.

Home keeper Oliver Baumann dropped on the ball to prevent it crossing the ground in a goalmouth scramble as Bayern tried to bundle the ball over the line.

Goretzka gave Bayern a deserved lead with the aid of a slight deflection after Lewandowski's original unmarked header was saved by Baumann.

Bayern and Goretzka's second came just before the first half whistle, from a Hoffenheim corner. The Bavarians broke quickly, Alaba sent in a perfectly weighted cross from the left wing and the German made no mistake, sliding to meet the ball from 10 yards out.

Hoffenheim started the second half as the more promising side, coming close in the 53rd minute before Schulz scored their only goal of the game.

A quick counter-attack and a clever ball by Leonardo Bittencourt set up the midfielder, whose skilful touch allowed him to fire the ball past Neuer and put his side back in the game.

Substitute Adam Szalai came closest to finding an equaliser for the home side when he forced the Bayern goalkeeper into a low save.

However, Bayern's win was wrapped up by Lewandowski three minutes from time, Muller passing the ball to the Poland international striker, who slotted it in for his 11th goal of the season.

The win ensures Bayern keep the pressure on top-of-the-table Dortmund ahead of their game with RB Leipzig on Saturday, while Hoffenheim are without a win in their last seven Bundesliga matches.

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Bayern MunichBayern15113147133436
2Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen1595137211632
3Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt1583435231227
4RB Leipzig158342420427
5Mainz 05Mainz157442820825
6Borussia DortmundDortmund157442822625
7Werder Bremen157442625125
8Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach157352520524
9Freiburg157352124-324
10Stuttgart156542925423
11Wolfsburg156363228421
12Union BerlinUnion Berlin154561419-517
13Augsburg154471732-1516
14St Pauli154291219-714
15Hoffenheim153572028-814
16Heidenheim1531111833-1510
17Holstein Kiel1522111938-198
18VfL BochumVfL Bochum1513111335-226


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