Hamburg (dpa): Robert Lewandowski scored a brace as Bayern Munich edged hosting SV Hamburg 2-1 in the Bundesliga restart on Friday and moved 11 points clear at the top of the standings.
The Polish marksman Lewandowski converted a penalty in the first half and deflected Thomas Mueller’s shot in the 61st, eight minutes after fighting Hamburg had levelled from Aaron Hunt.
Lewandowski raised his season tally to 17 goals, just one shy of leader Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang whose second-placed Borussia Dortmund team faces a difficult task at number four Borussia Moenechengladbach on Saturday.
But Bayern were far from impressive in the league restart after a five-week hibernation period, their first game since last month’s announcement that coach Pep Guardiola will leave in summer.
“We could have played a little better but I am satisfied,” Mueller told Sky TV. “We know we wouldn’t be at our top level but we were competitive. We want to improve with every match.”
Bayern had not lost against Hamburg since October 2009 and chalked up a goal-difference of 53-6 in the following 12 league games but they rarely threatened at first on a freezing night.
Instead, Hamburg’s Hunt forced Manuel Neuer to a first save in the 13th and Dennis Dieckmeier aimed wide left with another long-range attempt for Hamburg.
A mistake from Rene Adler then cost the hosts as the goalkeeper brought down Thomas Mueller in the 37th, and Lewandowski converted the ensuing penalty with a low effort into the right corner in what was Munich’s first shot on goal in the game.
Hamburg however levelled eight minutes after the restart from a curling free-kick from the right wing by Hunt into the far left corner after neither striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga nor Munich’s Xabi Alonso got a foot on the ball.
Germany defender Jerome Boateng limped off for Munich a few minutes later but the champions were back on top in the 61st when Lewandowski deflected a shot from Mueller to wrong-foot Adler.
David Alaba fired a free-kick against the right post five minutes later as Munich came close to a third while substitute Michael Gregoritsch aimed wide right with a stoppage time free-kick for 10th-ranked Hamburg.
“Its really bad to concede thse cheap goals. We allowed no chance in the first half. It is really annoying for us. We were very courageous,” Hamburg’s disappointed coach Bruno Labbadia said.