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Bayern Munich further extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Freiburg, although it came at a cost with Medhi Benatia and Xabi Alonso limping off injured. Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller netted the goals which earned Bayern their next win on the way to what looks like another unchallenged Bundesliga title, but the sight of Benatia holding his hamstring and Alonso leaving the field early dampened the spirits. Stuttgart closed the gap on fellow strugglers Hamburg thanks to a 1-0 win at the HSV Arena. Florian Klein scored the only goal of the game in the first half as Huub Stevens managed to get one over his former side and lift his current club off the foot of the Bundesliga. Stuttgart ended the game with 10 men after Georg Niedermeier was shown a red card early in the second half, but their win rarely looked in any danger as Hamburg's three-game winning streak at home was brought to an abrupt end. Hannover got back to winning ways at the Niedersachsenstadion with a 2-0 win over Augsburg, who have now lost two in a row. Salif Sane celebrated his return to the Hannover team with the opening goal before Joselu converted a controversial penalty to make it two and secure victory. Augsburg tried to respond, but could do nothing to avert a second straight defeat and saw their advantage over their hosts reduced to a single point. Mainz's winless run in the Bundesliga stretched to eight games as they came away from Cologne with just a point in a goalless draw. Chances were few and far between as both sides seemed to be already in holiday mode a few days before the Bundesliga breaks for the festive season. The result keeps both clubs in a relatively safe mid-table position with one game to go before they can indeed go on their holidays for a five-week winter break.
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