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Bundesliga: Bayern Munich eight points clear after 3-1 win over Stuttgart

Stuttgart keeper Przemyslaw Tyton makes a dramatic save at the Mercedes-Benz Arena but he was unable to prevent Bayern Munich from winning 3-1
Image: Stuttgart keeper Przemyslaw Tyton makes a dramatic save at the Mercedes-Benz Arena but he was unable to prevent Bayern Munich from winning 3-1

Bayern Munich remain on course for a record-breaking fourth successive Bundesliga title with a 3-1 victory at Stuttgart.

Home defender Georg Niedermeier diverted Franck Ribery's cross into his own net on 31, before David Alaba made it 2-0 from Juan Bernat's headed assist seven minutes after the break.

Daniel Didavi reduced the deficit when he lobbed keeper Manuel Neuer, before Douglas Costa secured the points two minutes from time with a low strike from outside the box, having been set up by Robert Lewandowski.

Thiago had earlier hit the bar for the German giants who have five more matches to play and head coach Pep Guardiola said: "Now we need three more (league) wins and a draw in order to create something that no team in Germany has ever managed."

As for Saturday's game, he added: "We had a lot of problems, we attacked well, but we were a bit too lazy and gave away free-kicks and corners.

"We made life complicated for ourselves but after taking the lead we improved in the second half."

Guardiola made five changes from the side which beat Benfica in Munich last Tuesday, as he rested a number of his leading stars ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second leg tie in Lisbon next week.

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Bayern Munich's Douglas Costa (L) celebrates his goal with fellow Brazilian Rafinha
Image: Bayern Munich's Douglas Costa (L) celebrates his goal with fellow Brazilian Rafinha

With second-placed Borussia Dortmund facing arch-rivals Schalke on Sunday, Bayern moved eight points clear having lost just two of their 29 league matches this season.

Borussia Moenchengladbach remain fourth despite a 1-0 defeat at Ingolstadt where Moritz Hartmann netted the only goal three minutes from time.

Hoffenheim beat fellow strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to move three points clear of the relegation zone.

Both goals came in the second half. The first arrived on the break via Nadiem Amiri in the 63rd minute, who had warmed the bench for the first hour. And with 89 minutes on the clock, Mark Uth added a second from close range.

Hoffenheim have now taken 17 points from their last nine games to climb out of the bottom three and are now 14th in the table.

Korean defender Hong Jeong-Ho fired a dramatic late winner for Augsburg who came from behind to beat Werder Bremen 2-1.

Florian Grillitsch fired Bremen ahead on 43 before Alfred Finnbogason headed the equaliser from Caiuby's cross early in the second half.

Elsewhere, Darmstadt won 2-1 at Hamburg. Aytac Sulu headed the opener seven minutes before the break, Jerome Gondorf added a second before Lewis Holtby netted a consolation in injury time.

And in the evening game, Wolfsburg drew 1-1 at home to Mainz. Andre Schurrle fired the hosts in front, Jairo Samperio levelled matters on 66 before the hosts were reduced to 10 men in injury time when Dante was shown a second yellow card.

Dortmund can return to within five points of leaders Bayern on Sunday when they travel to Schalke.

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