Bayern Munich extended their lead atop the Bundesliga on Saturday after a Jamal Musiala howitzer secured a 1-0 win at promoted St Pauli, but champions Bayer Leverkusen dropped points again in a 1-1 draw at lowly Bochum.
Vincent Kompany's Bayern, the only unbeaten team left in the German top flight, have gone five points clear after second-placed RB Leipzig could only draw 0-0 with mid-table Borussia Mönchengladbach in the late game having lost to Borussia Dortmund last weekend.
"I didn't know I had such a shot in me," Musiala told Sky.
"I have been practising in training trying to shoot from distance and I'm pleased it went in. It is my first goal outside of the box this season and I have to keep working on things."
Leverkusen are fourth, four points further back after a third league draw in a row following Koji Miyoshi's late leveller for Bochum.
It was only a second point of the campaign for bottom side Bochum, who were under the stewardship of veteran coach Dieter Hecking for the first time.
Dortmund undone by Can madness
Dortmund saw captain Emre Can sent off for a studs-up tackle in the first half of a 3-1 loss at Mainz, who won at home for the first time this term as the Black and Yellows' winless Bundesliga run on the road this season continued.
Centre back Can's error in catching Lee Jae Sung's ankle was compounded by Dortmund's injury crisis, which meant midfielder Felix Nmecha had to play emergency centre half alongside emergency right back Pascal Gross.
Nmecha was then at fault as Lee headed in for Mainz but the South Korean's eventful game continued when he felled Serhou Guirassy in the box and the striker levelled from the spot.
Lee was soon involved in a move smartly finished off by Jonathan Burkardt before the break and Paul Nebel scored in the second half to lift Mainz up to 11th and leave Dortmund seventh after 10 games.
Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin said: "I wouldn't group this defeat with the others. When you are down to 10 men for 60 minutes and with an already stretched squad, it is difficult."
Mid-table Werder Bremen won 2-1 at home against second-bottom Holstein Kiel in a northern derby.
St Pauli run Bayern close
Hamburg-based St Pauli's two wins this term have come away, including last weekend at Hoffenheim, but they remain without a home goal or home success this campaign after the Bavarians did what was needed.
Belgian Kompany, who played in the Bundesliga for St Pauli's rivals SV Hamburg, rotated his side and the free-scoring play of recent weeks gave way to a functional performance against dogged opponents.
Musiala made the difference in style, firing home from distance off the bar midway through the first half.
St Pauli, who avoided bankruptcy in 2003 when in the third tier thanks in part to Bayern agreeing to a friendly, had their chances but lacked a killer instinct.
Lacklustre Leverkusen
Leverkusen, unbeaten in winning a maiden title last term to end Bayern's 11-year hegemony, are also struggling to kill off teams.
Patrik Schick, making a rare start in place of the rested Victor Boniface, gave Xabi Alonso's side an 18-minute lead after his shot went in off the post following Florian Wirtz's pass.
But they wasted chances for 2-0 and Bochum netted on 89 minutes when Miyoshi scored from a tight angle having avoided an offside flag because the ball came off a Leverkusen player.
The Werkself have drawn five of their last six Bundesliga games as their title-winning form has deserted them. They also suffered a 4-0 mauling by Liverpool in the Champions League in midweek.
- Bayern
- Dortmund
- Leverkusen
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
