Bayern extend their lead in Bundesliga

Reigning German champions ease to a 2-0 win over Cologne to go two points clear at the top; 10 man Leverkusen held.

Goetze has scored four time for Bayern this season already [REUTERS]

Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a patient 2-0 win over promoted Cologne, who were lucky not to concede more.

Mario Goetze continued his scoring run with his fourth goal of the season and Daniel Halfar fired in an own goal in the 66th minute to lift the champions to 14 points, two ahead of Borussia Moenchengladbach, who eased past promoted Paderborn 2-1, scoring twice in the opening 14 minutes.

Elsewhere, ten-man Bayer Leverkusen, who had defender Emir Spahic dismissed in the 30th minute, rescued a draw at Freiburg, who also ended the game with 10 men.

Leverkusen, who host Benfica in the Champions League next week, are third on 11 points.

Schalke 04 beat rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in their Bundesliga Ruhr valley derby on Saturday to confirm their improving form after a bad start to the season.

Joel Marip and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored for Schalke, who host Maribor in the Champions League on Tuesday, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back for the visitors.

Schalke moved up to seventh on eight points while last season’s runners-up Dortmund, who take on Anderlecht in the Champions League, slip to ninth, a point behind following their third loss in six league games.

Former champions Suttgart notched their first win of the season under new coach Armin Veh with a 1-0 over Hanover 96 with Daniel Schwaab’s goal enough to lift them away from the bottom spots.

Top scorers:

5 Shinji Okazaki (Mainz)
4 Mario Goetze (Bayern Munich)
3 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)
   Ronny (Hertha Berlin)
   Julian Schieber (Hertha Berlin)
   Tarik Elyounoussi (Hoffenheim)
   Elias Kachunga (SC Paderborn)
   Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Schalke 04)
   Franco Di Santo (Werder Bremen)