BERLIN: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich needed a 96th-minute equaliser from striker Robert Lewandowski to salvage a 1-1 draw at Hertha Berlin on Sat­u­rday and increase their advantage at the top to eight points.

Hertha scored through Vedad Ibisevic in the first-half with the Bosnian volleying in for his ninth goal and his first since November, and Bayern were seconds away from what would have been their second league defeat this season when Lewandowski fired home after Arjen Robben’s effort was blocked on the line.

“Our goal was deserved,” Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti said following what was a Cham­pions League hangover for his side following Wednesday’s 5-1 hammering of Arsenal in the last 16 first leg. “It’s a fair result in the end.”

Bayern moved up to 50 points with RB Leipzig in second place on 42 with a game in hand.

Lukasz Piszczek had a hand in all three goals as Borussia Dort­m­und rebounded from their midweek Champions League loss at Benfica to ease past VfL Wolfsburg 3-0 and climb into third place on 37 points.

Hoffenheim joined them on 37 points after their 2-0 victory over bottom side Darmstadt 98, cour­tesy of Andrej Kramaric’s brace.

Eintracht Frankfurt squandered their chance to go third, slumping to a 2-0 defeat by visitors Ingolstadt to drop to fifth on 35 points.

Published in Dawn, february 20th , 2017