Bayern almost home and dry
Bayern Munich virtually closed out the race for the Bundesliga title by extending their lead to nine points.
Bayern, who had to come from behind to beat lowly Duisburg 3-1, will be the first to toast Borussia Dortmund whose 4-2 win at Hamburg helped them extend a lead that looked like being cut from six points.
Hamburg and Werder Bremen, 5-0 winners at home to Hannover, now have only seven matches left to overturn the deficit.
Abdelaziz Ahanfouf’s first-half penalty put Duisburg ahead but second half goals from Hasan Salihamidzic, Roy Makaay and Claudio Pizarro saw the Bavarians win.
Midway through the second half in Hamburg, the hosts had led Dortmund 2-1 with strikes from Benjamin Lauth and Ailton while Ebi Smolarek had scored for Dortmund.
However, two goals from Tomas Rosicky and one from Florian Kringe saw Borussia prevail.
Bremen owed their win to a hat-trick from Nelson Haedo Valdez and a goal apiece from Johan Micoud and Bundesliga top scorer Miroslav Klose.
Bayer Leverkusen won 2-0 at Stuttgart, Schalke were held 2-2 by Wolfsburg and Mainz and Hertha Berlin also drew 2-2.
Cologne drew 1-1 at home with Eintracht Frankfurt.
