Robert Lewandowski’s goal on Wednesday was enough for Bayern Munich to stretch their Bundesliga lead with a 1-0 win at home over last-placed Cologne.
Bayern lead second-placed Schalke 04 by nine points after 16 rounds, with Lewandowski extending his league-leading tally to 15 goals in 16 games.
However, Bayern, bidding for a record-extending sixth straight Bundesliga title, have played better games this season.
“Everything took much too long,” Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said.
Heynckes’ side next face VfB Stuttgart tomorrow and then defending champions Borussia Dortmund in a DFB Pokal showdown on Wednesday next week before the winter break.
“You can tell that the team knows there are just two games left and that we no longer have the 100 percent energy reserves. So we just let the ball move around and took the 1-0 win as it was,” Bayern captain Thomas Mueller said.
Winless Cologne, who had already made the worst start by any team since the Bundesliga began in 1963, held Bayern scoreless in the first half, leading to whistles from some home fans at the break.
“We did too little in the first half,” Mueller said. “We didn’t move the ball quickly enough, didn’t make enough moves into dangerous areas.”
It took an hour for Bayern to finally get through Cologne’s defense. Jerome Boateng chipped the ball over the top and Mueller cushioned the ball back with a header for Lewandowski to volley past Timo Horn from close range.
The visitors discarded their caution and pushed for an equalizer. Lukas Kluenter — Cologne’s greatest attacking threat throughout — came closest late on when he drew a brilliant save from Tom Starke.
Starke, Bayern’s third-choice goalkeeper, was called out of retirement due to Manuel Neuer’s long injury layoff and was playing his second straight game after No. 2 Sven Ulreich suffered a groin problem.
Cologne slumped to their 13th defeat from 16 games.
“With a bit of luck like we had last season, one of them would have gone in,” Horn said of his team’s chances. “The team threw everything into it, and, like so often, it wasn’t enough.”
A late penalty from Daniel Caligiuri helped Schalke reclaim second place with a 3-2 win at home over Augsburg.
Two goals either side of halftime from Franco di Santo and Guido Burgstaller looked to have Schalke coasting. However, from then on it was only Augsburg, who equalized with goals from Caiuby and Michael Gregoritsch.
Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz was then adjudged to have brought down Amine Harit and Caligiuri converted the spot-kick for Schalke to overtake RB Leipzig.
All the home sides won on Wednesday.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen moved fourth with a 1-0 win over Werder Bremen, Hertha BSC defeated Hannover 96 3-1 and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim beat Stuttgart 1-0.
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