Hannover 96 0 - 1 Bayern Munich: Thomas Muller penalty helps Bayern Munich extend lead at Bundesliga summit

Posted Sunday, December 20, 2015 by PA

Bayern Munich moved eight points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga thanks to a 1-0 win over Hannover at the Niedersachsenstadion.

Thomas Muller's penalty was all that was needed for Pep Guardiola's men to extend their advantage at the top going into the second half of the season.

Hannover hit the woodwork once, but Bayern, who also hit the post in the first half, always looked in control of things and able to move up a gear if required.

They did not have to, though, as they continued their march towards a third straight Bundesliga title under Guardiola, and a fourth in a row overall.

Ron-Robert Zieler prevented Thiago Alcantara from giving Bayern a fifth-minute lead after the Spaniard took Arturo Vidal's pass down on his chest, but saw his volley tipped over the crossbar.

The hosts went even closer to breaking the deadlock just a few minutes later, with Bayern 'keeper Manuel Neuer replicating Zieler's excellent save to tip Edgar Prib's header onto the crossbar.

Zieler was beaten by Robert Lewandowski on the half-hour mark, but the Pole's shot came back off the inside of the right-hand post.

Muller thought he had a tap-in with the rebound, but Zieler was wide awake and recovered to clear the ball off the goalline with his foot.

Kingsley Coman failed to turn the ball in from a yard out as Bayern doubled their efforts before Christian Schulz gave them a hand five minutes before the interval by giving away a penalty.

Muller sent his Germany team-mate Zieler the wrong way from the spot to put Bayern in front.

The offside flag denied Hannover an equaliser before half-time, with the ball ending in the back of the net off a Bayern defender after Mevlut Erdinc had strayed offside.

Prib's dipping shot caused a flutter in Neuer's heart, but the ball ruffled only the roof of the net, and it was only a rare effort on goal from the hosts as Bayern continued to dictate affairs.

Then, as the news filtered through that Dortmund had first conceded an equaliser at Cologne and then fallen behind, the urgency evaporated from their game.

Without conceding another chance to their hosts, they played the clock down on yet another win, which leaves the record German champions in the driving seat for another title, and leaves Hannover inside the bottom three for the winter break.