Bundesliga: Bayern struggles in Schalke draw; Leipzig can't capitalize
BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Schalke as the Bundesliga leader put up another unconvincing display Saturday while Leipzig lost ground in the title race.
Robert Lewandowski fired Bayern into an early lead with his 15th goal of the season but Naldo equalized from a free kick minutes later and the home side missed a number of chances to claim the winner late on.
Despite the draw, Bayern stretched its lead to four points after Leipzig lost 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund in the late game.
Germany defender Holger Badstuber started in his Schalke debut against his parent club. Bayern sent Badstuber on loan to Schalke for the rest of the season to gain match experience.
"Of course it's emotional for me, but I didn't want to let it get to me. I want to play football," said Badstuber, who tore cruciate ligaments in 2012 and again in 2013 before other injuries including a fractured ankle.
"It was a feeling I never had before," he added of his return.
The 27-year-old had an unwelcome role in Lewandowski's ninth-minute goal, failing to clear the ball before the Poland striker dinked the ball over Ralf Faehrmann.
Naldo replied with his free kick four minutes later, when Bayern 'keeper Manual Neuer should have done better.
Schalke impressed and might have gone ahead in the 40th when Guido Burgstaller struck the crossbar, before Lewandowski did the same at the other end.
There were some whistles from fans frustrated with the home side's display around the hour-mark.
Philipp Lahm came on for the final 15 minutes to make his 500th Bayern appearance.
Xabi Alonso fired over and Javi Martinez was wasteful in the final minutes for Bayern, before Kingsley Coman missed another chance in injury time.
The result will increase the pressure on Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti, who had come in for criticism following a perceived dip in performance over previous games.
"Altogether it wasn't enough. Now we'll concentrate on the next games," Ancelotti said.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1, LEIPZIG 0
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's first-half header was enough for wasteful Dortmund to avenge its 1-0 defeat at Leipzig in the second round and go third.
The first half was a scrappy affair with frequent stoppages until Aubameyang's header opened up the game in the 35th. Ousmane Dembele skipped past Marvin Compper and then Willi Orban before crossing for the Gabon striker's league-leading 17th goal of the season.
Leipzig was without regulars Timo Werner, Diego Demme and Marcel Sabitzer due to illness, while Emil Forsberg was suspended.
Marco Reus went close on a counterattack after the break, Aubameyang should have done better too, and Reus missed another two good chances to seal it late on.
Leipzig thought it had equalized in injury time but Stefan Ilsanker's goal was ruled out for offside. Despite the visitors' protests, TV replays showed the Austrian was just offside for Oliver Burke's through ball.
BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH 3, FREIBURG 0
Lars Stindl struck again, in off the post with just over a quarter-hour remaining, to open the deadlock as 'Gladbach coach Dieter Hecking celebrated his first win at home.
Stindl had scored twice in the 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen the weekend before.
The Moenchengladbach captain was involved again when Mahmoud Dahoud crossed for Raffael to seal the win five minutes later, before Patrick Herrmann marked his return from injury by scoring in injury time.
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HERTHA BERLIN 1, INGOLSTADT 0
Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi got Hertha off to a dream start in the first minute, converting Solomon Kalou's cross at the far post. There was little goalmouth action afterward, with the home side seemingly content to sit back and enjoy the lead.
It proved to be enough.
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HOFFENHEIM 4, MAINZ 0
Hoffenheim bounced back after its first defeat of the season.
Mark Uth took Sebastian Rudy's ball on his chest and then blasted it inside the left post to open for Hoffenheim in the fifth.
But the home side had to wait until the 81st for Marco Terrazzino to double the lead and Adam Szalai to complete the scoring with two late goals against his former side.
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COLOGNE 1, WOLFSBURG 0
A late penalty from Anthony Modeste clinched the victory that left Wolfsburg just three points off the relegation zone.
