Bundesliga Matchday 16: Bayern is Autumn champion, Dortmund falls 12 points behind

Bayern Munich extended its undefeated streak in the Bundesliga to 41, with a 3-1 victory over Hamburg, to become unofficial autumn champion (Herbstmeister) with one game to go prior to the midway point of the season.  Bayern won`t be playing that match against VFB Stuttgart until January 29th.  Meanwhile Dortmund came back from a two goal deficit to, at least, capture one point in a 2-2 draw against Hoffenheim, but is trailing Bayern by 12 points and Leverkusen by five.  Bayer Leverkusen is not playing until Sunday.

Bayern, whose last loss in the domestic league dates back to October 12 last year, moved ahead on a goal by Mario Mandzukic (42nd) and a second by Mario Goetze (52nd).  Hamburg`s Pierre Michelle-Lassoga got one back for Hamburg in the 87th minute, but Xerdan Shaqiri put the game away in injury time.

Borussia Dortmund took an early deficit in Sinsheim on goals from Hoffenheim`s Sven Schiplock and Kevin Volland. Dortmund got one back just before the halftime whistle on a goal by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.  Lukasz Piszczek got the equalizer in the second half.

Wolfsburg established itself in fifth spot with a 3-1 win over Stuttgart, while Augsburg dismantled the league taillight Eintracht Braunschweig 4-1.  1.FC Nuernberg continues to chase its first victory after voiding a 3-0 lead over Hannover and the north German side turned the loss around to a 3-3 tie. The fiesty Franken with a record of 0-10-6 have accumulated only ten points in 17 games.

In the league opener on Friday Hertha BSC Berlin defeated Werder Bremen 3-2 to move into sixth spot ahead of Schalke, which plays tomorrow.  Mainz and Borussia Moenchengladbach fought to a scoreless draw, but the side maintained its fourth place in the league after Dortmunds draw.

On Sunday Schalke 04 defeated struggling SC Freiburg 2-0 on an on goal by by Nicolas Hoefler just before the halfway mark.  Farfan settled the match for Schalke in the 67th minute. Freiburg remains in a relegation spot, while Schalke moved into sixth spot, two points behind Wolfsburg. Eintracht Frankfurt edged out Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 on a second half header by Marco Russ in the 61st minute.  Despite Leverkusen's constant bombardment, Eintracht's keeper Trapp kept Frankfurt ahead.  Joselu missed a penalty kick injury time for Frankfurt, but  the 1-0 was enough to end Leverkusen's home winning streak. Leverkusen now trails Bayern Munich by seven points and leads Dortmund and Gladbach by five.  Failing a disaster, Bayern Munich is well on its way to another championship. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

13.12.2013, 20.30    Hertha BSC -     Werder Bremen    3:2    
14.12.2013, 15.30    Bayern München -     Hamburger SV    3-1   
14.12.2013, 15.30    Hannover 96 -     1. FC Nürnberg   3-3   
14.12.2013, 15.30    1899 Hoffenheim -     Borussia Dortmund   2-2  
14.12.2013, 15.30    FSV Mainz 05 -     Bor. Mönchengladbach    0-0   
14.12.2013, 15.30    FC Augsburg -     Eintr. Braunschweig    4-1    
14.12.2013, 18.30    VfL Wolfsburg -     VfB Stuttgart    3-1  
15.12.2013, 15.30    Schalke 04 -     SC Freiburg    2-0   
15.12.2013, 17.30    Bayer Leverkusen -     Eintracht Frankfurt    0-1

Posn  Team             GP   W   D   L    GF/GA   Points
1      FC Bayern        16    14   2    0       42:8         44
2      Leverkusen       16    12   1    3       32:15       37
3      Dortmund         16    10   2    4       37:18       32
4      M'gladbach       16    10   2    4       33:17       32
5      Wolfsburg         16      9   2     5      26:17       29
6      Schalke             16      8   3    5       32:26       27
7      Hertha BSC       16     7  4     5       25:19       25
8      Augsburg           16     7   2    7      20:24        23
9      Mainz                16      6   3    7      22:29       21
10    Stuttgart             16     5    4   7      28:29        19
11    Hoffenheim        16     4    6   6      36:37       19
12    Hannover           16     5    3    8     22:29       18
13    Hamburg            16     4    4    8     31:35        16
14    Bremen               16     4     4   7    21:37        16
15    Frankfurt            16     3     5   8     19:28        14
16    Freiburg              16     2     5   9     14:30       11
17    Nürnberg             16     0   10   6     17:33       10
18    B'schweig            16     2     2  12      9:32        8