Bundesliga Review: Bayern all but champions, Hamburg claim long-awaited win

Bayern Munich have one hand on the Bundesliga title after Bastian Schweinsteiger struck 10 minutes from time to secure a 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin at the Allianz Arena.

Pep Guardiola’s men went into Saturday’s encounter with in-form Hertha knowing three points would all-but end Wolfsburg’s slim hopes of denying them a third consecutive league success, but left it late to seal victory.

Wolfsburg can ensure the Bavarian giants keep the champagne on ice by winning at Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday, but the runaway leaders would still be 12 points clear and have a vastly superior goal difference with four games remaining.

Bayern hammered Porto 6-1 in midweek to set up a UEFA Champions League semi-final against the head coach’s former club Barcelona and remain on course for a famous treble, with a DFB-Pokal semi-final against Borussia Dortmund to come on Tuesday.

It was Hertha’s first defeat in eight games, but they gave a great account of themselves and had a clear chance to open the scoring when Nico Schulz was denied by Manuel Neuer when clean through in the second half.

Germany captain Schweinsteiger proved to be the match-winner on his return to the starting line-up, though, applying a fine finish soon after hitting the post.

Hamburg moved off the bottom of the table by ending a run of nine games without a win with a 3-2 victory over Augsburg in Bruno Labbadia’s first home game in charge.

Not since early February had Hamburg secured three precious points in their battle to avoid the drop, but they raced into a two-goal lead after 19 minutes courtesy of strikes from Ivica Olic and Pierre-Michel Lasogga.

Raul Bobadilla and Tobias Werner brought Augsburg level, but Lasogga was on target again to ensure Labbadia’s men moved above Paderborn and Stuttgart into 16th place.

Hannover are just one point better off than Hamburg after suffering a 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim, substitute Sven Schipplock scoring the winner seven minutes from time.

Stuttgart also looked set for a much needed victory when Daniel Ginczek and Martin Harnik gave them a 2-0 half-time lead against Freiburg, but Nils Petersen pulled a goal back and then salvaged a point five minutes from time after the home side had Adam Hlousek sent off.  

Bayer Leverkusen missed the chance to move four points behind Wolfsburg when they were held 1-1 at Koln, while Shinji Kagawa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Borussia Dortmund a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.