Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich travelled to Hoffenheim looking to pick up their 11th league win from 12 attempts, against the side in 17th.
Hoffenheim were impressive at the back but Bayern finally got the break through when Mario Gomez finished off Franck Ribery's superb cushioned header.
After that Bayern were comfortable, if less than impressive, and saw out the win without too much further threat.
Read how the action unfolded with out live text commentary below.
Hello everyone and welcome to our live text commentary from the Bundesliga as Hoffenheim become the latest team to attempt to stop the relentless Bayern Munich.
I'll get straight to the team news then...
BAYERN XI: Starke; Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Muller, Shaqiri, Ribery; Gomez
So it's not the strongest team that Jupp Heynckes could have put out. He has rested some players who have been ever-present this season. That means Mario Gomez starts ahead of Mario Mandzukic. Toni Kroos does not start and, once again, no place in the XI for Arjen Robben. Javi Martinez and Xherdan Shaqiri do start.
HOFFENHEIM XI: Gomes; Ochs, Abraham, Vestergaard, Johnson; Schrock, Williams, Weis, Usami; de Camargo, Volland
There are plenty of loan players in the Hoffenheim lineup. In goal Heurelho Gomes is borrowed from Tottenham Hotspur, with Igor de Camargo, Takashi Usami and Patrick Ochs all not belonging to the hosts.
Everything about this one just screams comfortable win for Bayern. First you have the table to look at: Bayern are so far ahead it's not funny, while Hoffenheim are almost certain to go down.
In the last meeting between the sides earlier in the season, Bayern won 2-0 at a canter.
The odds also suggest that you'd be foolish to bet against the league leaders this afternoon.
The best you'll get for Bayern is 2/7, while if you think Hoffenheim stand a chance then 12/1 might well look appealing for you.
I don't think there are many worse bets in world football right now than to back Hoffenheim, even if Bayern are without their top-scorer Mandzukic. Remember, his replacement is only Mario Gomez!
Remember, they also have Thomas Muller playing who has netted 11 times so far. Joselu and Volland are Hoffenheim's highest - with four each. Only one is playing. We're just about ready for kickoff here.
Hoffenheim kick us off!
It's a pressing start from Hoffenheim who have set their stall out early to work very hard. They'll need to, of course. You feel they'll need to score before their legs go if they are to upset the odds today.
To their credit, they've started the better side here. Although now Bayern are looking to impose themselves with their famous patient passing. They don't mind about going back to the defence and starting again.
Muller is wrestled off the ball by Williams, but again they win it back and start again from defence. This time Hoffenheim deal with the angled long ball towards Ribery.
Martinez goes for goal from far, far out. It's well over Gomes's goal, however. Bayern are just about on top now, as Hoffenheim's passes are becoming a little more panicky.
Boateng this time looking for the quick ball over the top that so often catches opponents out. Vestergaard reads it well and is then fouled by Gomez.
They're so good at turning patient probing into driving attacks. This time Williams is caught short and brings down the driving Shaqiri. Schweinsteiger goes for goal from the free kick and Gomes turns it round the post.
Starke gets his first touch of the game some 10 minutes in. Which goes to show where most of the play has been so far. Ribery looks to get through on the left hand side, but he's doubled up on by the defence and Hoffenheim clear down the pitch. They've kept their discipline pretty well so far and are defending smartly.
Shaqiri this time is crowded out by a clutch of Hoffenheim defenders after he had controlled nicely in the box. Hoffenheim look to break for the first time through Ochs, but Alaba gets across well to tackle.
BOOKING: Boateng becomes the first player booked for bringing down Volland on the left side, who was just too quick.
CHANCE! From the free kick Lahm, Gomez and Schweinsteiger all fail to clear and Williams puts a really good chance wide at the far post! That was the best of the game so far and it came to the hosts.
CHANCE! Usami does really well down the left, cuts back to De Camargo, who gets round Starke but his touch is a little too heavy. At the other end Bayern break but Hoffenheim get it away despite being outnumbered.
CLOSE! Williams goes for goal from well outside the box and he puts it not too far wide of Starke's right-hand post. The keeper was diving and might well have got to it were the shot on target. Hoffenheim are not playing like a team floundering near the bottom of the league!
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Martinez just about escapes a booking after a late slide on Volland, who has been very sharp so far.
Hoffenheim are playing all the football now. It took a very good touch from Dante there to stop a very neat passing move. The danger of this, though, is that Bayern are so good at picking off expansive teams.
Free kick in a dangerous place now for Bayern. Ribery combines with Muller and Johnson brings down the latter, who just skinned him for pace to the right of the box.
Gomes claims the cross emphatically and sets up Schrock for the counter, but his pass goes harmlessly through to Starke. It's end-to-end this, a goal must be coming soon.
An unlikely overhit cross from Muller there, after he was found well by Shaqiri. They just haven't been at their clinical best so far, perhaps the changes made by Heynckes haven't gone in their favour so far.
We've hit the inevitable lull after the frantic opening 20 minutes. Now Bayern are starting to control the possession, although not much of it is happening in the Hoffenheim third. The hosts are still defending really well as a unit.
CHANCE! Best chance so far for Bayern, but it was far from clear-cut. Muller met a Lahm cross from a position around the penalty spot, but his header went harmlessly wide.
Shaqiri and Ribery try some intricate play on the edge of the box, but Hoffenheim clear, albeit slightly nervously. Bayern go back and come again as Alaba finds space for a cross, but directs it straight at Gomes.
Vestergaard is earning his money so far for Hoffenheim. He's meeting every cross. First he stoops to head away from Alaba before getting his boot on one from the other side from Muller.
Hoffenheim's sharpness in the pass in the final third has just disappeared in the last 12 minutes or so. Starke is being found with almost every pass. Bayern now well on top of possession, however the best chance remains Williams's.
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Bayern currently have 66% of the possession, which is to be expected. Despite that Hoffenheim will be delighted with their defensive solidarity so far, as another Bayern attack breaks down with an interception. Back to Dante, they'll go again.
Muller tries a deep angles cross towards Gomez, but he cannot get enough contact on it and it's out for a goal kick. Just a warning of Bayern's passing ability from deep.
GOAL! Hoffenheim 0-1 Bayern (Gomez)
There's the danger, although the goal was somewhat fortunate. Boateng angles towards Ribery, who heads across into the path of Gomez. The striker gets enough on it and the ball bobbles over the line.
Just as it was looking like Hoffenheim would hang on to the break, Bayern manage to create enough for a goal. It was a fantastic header from Ribery, it really was. You feel that'll be that now as Bayern should now be able to pick off their hosts.
SAVE! Good save from Gomes to stop the second goal. Lahm goes for goal with the outside of his foot in close from and angle and Gomes beats it clear of danger.
Bayern are given a fortuitous corner - I don't think Shaqiri's effort is deflected. Hoffenheim look to break from the corner and Williams shoots from range but Starke is down well to hold the stringing effort.
Hoffenheim coming forward a little more now but Bayern are back defending in numbers and come away with the ball again.
HALF-TIME: Hoffenheim 0-1 Bayern
While Bayern haven't been at their creative best, their patience has paid off in the end. A couple of good chances went Hoffenheim's way but the sheer amount of possession told towards the end of the half and Bayern have got their noses in front. With one conceded away all season, you can't see the hosts getting back in this.
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Heynckes may have opted not to start the league's top scorer Mario Mandzukic, but Mario Gomez isn't a half bad replacement. He owes a lot to the wonderful cushioned header into his path from Ribery as he just managed to squeeze the ball over the line.
In truth, Hoffenheim cannot be too disappointed with the way they've played so far. They defended really well, especially Vestergaard, and were only undone with some really incisive passing. They do have joint top-scorer Joselu to bring off the bench as well as Eren Derdiyok, who has just the one to his name. Although I doubt Marco Kurz will look to his bench just yet.
Here we go then for the second half. Bayern kick us off.
Early half-chance for Weis, who slices a shot wide from an angle with his left foot.
Even start to the second half. Hoffenheim have refused to lie down despite the odds being stacked against them. Bayern passing around patiently early on.
CHANCE! Ochs fizzes in a right-wing cross, but there's just one man to aim for and Boateng mops up. Just a hint of danger, though.
Lahm does really well to win a corner there, firing the ball into Johnson. From it, no-one can get on the end of Shaqiri's ball and no chance comes. The atmosphere is quite flat.
Roberto Firmino, who came on for Usami at the break, skins three Bayern players but cannot get the ball back from De Camarago. Bayern break and Johnson somehow wins a free kick for a slip.
BOOKING: Williams is booked following Johnson's foul on Muller. Dissent.
Gomes, as fans of the Premier Legaue have seen so often, flaps at the free kick but is given the free kick against Gomez. A little harsh, that.
Firmino, who has been lively, wins a corner with a driving run to the left of the box, but Hoffenheim cannot muster a chance from it. At the other end a promising Bayern attack breaks down.
The hosts win another corner, but it could have been better as Ochs had a lot of time and space to find the right cross.
Hoffenheim keep huffing and puffing but their best efforts just aren't enough. This one has the sense that it's just a matter of time before Bayern get the second, as a Firmino shot is blocked by Dante.
Bayern get some possession deep in the Hoffenheim third, but another move breaks down. If Hoffenheim had just a bit more penetration they could well get something today as Bayern have been far from at their best.
BAYERN SUB: Luis Gustavo, the second former Hoffenheim player, comes on for Shaqiri. Quite a defensive move there from Heynckes.
Sloppy from Bayern there are Hoffenheim latch on to a poor pass from Gustavo. However, they are back in numbers to crowd out the hosts' attack as they have done all game.
SAVE! Starke needed to be at his best there. A De Camargo cross goes all the way through to Schrock, who fires towards the top corner but Starke gets it away for a corner.
BOOKING: A sloppy pass from Schrock allows Bayern to break. Schrock gets back but brings down Ribery and goes into the book. Dangerous position here.
OFF THE BAR! Schweinsteiger absolutely whacks the free kick. It beats Gomes but clatters off the bar. So close to being game over.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: Volland is off for Spaniard Joselu. The four goal man comes off for another four goal man. Hoffenheim feel they can get something.
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Ribery bursts into the box on the right hand side and tries to find Gomez through the eye of the needle. A combination of Gomes and Abraham stops the danger.
They've just run out of ideas now have the hosts. Every time they look to come forward Bayern win it back. Ribery goes down softly, running into Vestergaard and wins the free kick. Harsh if you ask me.
BAYERN SUB: Goalscorer Gomez comes off for Mandzukic. There'll be no rest for the Hoffenheim defence as Schweinsteiger lines up the free kick.
OFF THE POST! He's done it again! Schweinsteiger this time goes for placement but finds the very top of the post with Gomes beaten.
HOFFENHEIM SUB: Schrock comes off for another striker, Derdiyok. They're going for it.
Bayern now controlling the possession with slow build-up. Hoffenheim are still pretty strong at the back. This is surely only going one way, though: 1-0 or 2-0 Bayern.
They're like a persistent nuisance-caller are Bayern. They're constantly ringing and eventually opponents just crack. Ten minutes for them to make the result sure.
BOOKING: Derdiyok is the third Hoffenheim player booked as he lunges in late on Ribery. Fair enough that one.
They seem to have more than 11 on the pitch sometimes, Bayern. Ribery swings in the free kick with plenty of red shirts in the box but as Hoffenheim try to clear there's another wall of red.
Hoffenheim comes forward in a rare attack, but there's just no way through now. At the other end Ribery shoots from outside the box but Gomes is down well to parry away.
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They're still playing patiently but Bayern won't be able to relax until the second goal or the full-time whistle, whichever comes first. The way it's going, I fancy the whistle to be first.
SAVE! Ribery lays off to Alaba who fires a shot from the edge of the box. It's hard but close to Gomes who gets a good two hands to push it up and away.
Gomes is out well to play sweeper-keeper as Ribery was left in acres of space. The keeper got there first and he's not happy with his defence. Three minutes of added-time.
Bayern looking to take it into the corner now. They'll take the 1-0. They're fortunate they're playing a struggling side today, however.
The game is ending with a series of corners on the left for Bayern. Thirty seconds left.
FULL-TIME: Hoffenheim 0-1 Bayern
They weren't at their best, but they did enough. Bayern take the 1-0 win. Thanks for joining me for this one and do please head over here for more Bundesliga action! See you there.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
