Story highlights
Bayern Munich beat Hoffenheim 2-0 in Bundesliga
Seven straight league wins for Bayern from start of season
Franck Ribery scores both goals at Allianz Arena
Schalke up to third after 3-0 win over struggling Wolfsburg
Franck Ribery scored both goals as Bayern Munich made it seven straight Bundesliga wins with a 2-0 defeat of Hoffenheim Saturday.
The Bavarian giants suffered a Champions League setback in midweek when they lost 3-1 to BATE Borisov in Belarus, but responded in style at their Allianz Arena.
Second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt play at Borussia Moenchengladbach Sunday, with the win leaving Bayern five points clear at the top.
French international star Ribery was on target after 19 minutes as he made full use of a fine pass from Thomas Mueller.
Visitors Hoffenheim battled hard, but goalkeeper Koen Casteels was beaten for a second time just after the break as Ribery fired home after good work from Mario Mandzukic and Toni Kroos.
“The team played very smart, we were very clever,” Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes told AFP.
“Ribery was outstanding, not only because of the two goals, but because he has also back-tracked and won balls for us in defense.
With defending champions Borussia Dortmund not in action until Sunday, Schalke took advantage to move into outright third with a 3-0 win over Wolfsburg.
Former Schalke coach Felix Magath is now in charge of the Wolves, but his return to Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins Arena was spoiled by home goals from Jefferson Farfan, Ibrahim Afellay and midfielder Roman Neustaedter.
Their third straight loss left Magath’s men second from bottom.
In other action, Hamburg continued their improvement with a 1-0 win at Bavarian side Greuther Fuerth – Son Heung-Min’s first-half goal giving them three points to move up the eighth.
Mainz and Freiburg also enjoyed home wins over Nuremburg and Fortuna Dusseldorf respectively.
Friday night’s action saw Werder Bremen slump to a 3-1 defeat at Augsburg.
