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Bayern Munich made to wait for league title

Bayern struggled at times but broke the deadlock with a Bastian Schweinsteiger header eight minutes from time. Substitute Mario Goetze added another in the 87th minute after Franck Ribery rounded the Mainz keeper.

Bayern Munich put their Bundesliga title celebrations on hold despite beating gutsy Mainz 05 2-0 on Saturday, as Borussia Dortmund won 3-0 at Hanover 96 to delay the official crowning.

Bayern struggled at times but broke the deadlock with a Bastian Schweinsteiger header eight minutes from time. Substitute Mario Goetze added another in the 87^th minute after Franck Ribery rounded the Mainz keeper.

The Bavarian club can still break the record for the quickest title triumph on Tuesday at Hertha Berlin.

Mainz confirmed their good recent form from the start with a flowing game that put the visitors under pressure.

They missed their biggest chance with Cameroon international Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who had scored four goals in the last five games, shaking off Philipp Lahm and thundering his shot on to the crossbar shortly after the restart.

Bayern responded with a chance of their own in the 55^th minute, as Mario Mandzukic’s powerful point-blank header was saved by 20-year-old keeper Loris Karius. Karius, who until then had denied the visitors with half a dozen good saves, could do nothing to stop Schweinsteiger nodding in after a deep cross from Xherdan Shaqiri at the far post. Bayern lead the title race on 74 points. Fellow Champions League quarter-finalists Dortmund, who eased past Hanover 96 with goals from Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus, are second on 51 points with eight games left.

Schalke 04 kept up their domestic comeback to beat bottom-placed Eintracht Braunschweig 3-1 for their third straight win to remain third, a point behind Dortmund.