A Robert Lewandowski brace gave Bayern Munich the perfect start to 2016, as they ran out 2-1 winners over a battling Hamburger SV. The hosts leveled through Xabi Alonso's own goal but couldn't quite trouble Manuel Neuer enough to secure a share of the spoils.

HSV made three alterations to the side that lost 1-0 to FC Augsburg before the Winter Break, with Bruno Labbadia keen to kick-start 2016 in the right way. Dennis Diekmeier, Cleber and and Gojko Kacar all earned starts, with Gotoku Sakai, Emir Spahic and Gideon Jung dropping out of the eleven.

While Hamburg were hoping for better, Pep Guardiola and Bayern wanted more of the same. They edged past Hannover 96 to open up a comfortable lead going into the month off, but Guardiola opted to make three changes to that side. Rafinha was absent through injury, while both Javi Martinez and Arturo Vidal dropped to the bench; Philipp Lahm, David Alaba and Douglas Costa took their places.

HSV start the game well

It was a slow start to the game at the packed Volksparkstadion, as the table-toppers dominated possession early on. They were limited to corners with the hosts dropping deep when Bayern got on the ball, limiting the effects of Costa and Kingsley Coman. Only one meaningful shot found the target inside 20 minutes and Aaron Hunt's 25-yard drive was easily dealt with by Manuel Neuer.

HSV were the side that had the confidence and with the home side roaring them on when counter-attacking, the potential for an upset was there. The returning Diekmeier went closer still midway through the half, shooting narrowly past the upright from just outside the area. HSV were starting to find it more difficult to curtail Bayern's wing play, however, and were beginning to rack up the fouls and yellows cards to go with it.

Bayern take the lead

For all their good play, it was the home side who would fall behind. A through ball over the top found Thomas Müller racing towards clean, only to be brought down on the edge of the area by René Adler. Felix Zwayer correctly pointed to the spot and Robert Lewandowski made no mistake from 12 yards, sending Adler the wrong way to give Bayern the lead.

The end of the half saw a smattering of bookings with both teams not holding back in the tackle. HSV couldn't force a late chance to try and get back level again, with Thomas Müller's header almost making matters worse for Labbadia's men. That meant Bayern went in ahead, although not without a fight.

It was a battling performance from the first whistle. | Image credit: kicker - Getty Images
It was a battling performance from the first whistle. | Image credit: kicker - Getty Images

HSV hit back

Bayern started the second half with pace and purpose, in a bid to kill the game off quickly. Despite Coman's near-post effort being tipped jwide, Douglas Costa rifling a half-volley inches over and Thiago wasting an excellent headed chance, they would quickly see the lead evaporate.

Aaron Hunt's free-kick from wide on the right was a good delivery, and was heading towards the base of the post. The set-piece needed just a slight touch to find the net and that's what it got, as Xabi Alonso and Pierre-Michel Lasogga battled at the back post. The Spaniard got the final nick the ball required, restoring parity once more.

Bayern edge ahead for the second time

Bayern were then dealt another blow by Jerome Boateng's injury, as the towering centre-half immediately signaled for a substitution. It was only five minutes after Javi Martinez came on the pitch that Lewandowski netted his second. A clearance came as far as Thomas Müller, who controlled and volleyed the ball towards goal. Ever the instinctive forward that the Pole is, he managed to quickly stick out a foot and poke the shot into the opposite corner - HSV could hardly believe their luck.

Two nearly back three moments later from David Alaba's sweetly-struck free-kick. The 25-yard effort came back off the upright after arrowing towards goal, with the visitors unable to force the ball home on the rebound. Thiago nearly sealed the game in the final 10 minutes with a deflected drive that cannoned off Cleber, only for Adler to somehow divert it over the bar.

The missed chances didn't matter in the end, as the Bavarians stretched their lead at the top to 11 points. Hamburg, on the other hand, are a respectable 12th and know that a continuation of these performances will see them well above the relegation zone this campaign.

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About the author
Jonathan Walsh
SoccerSight IFA commentator. VAVEL deputy editor-in-chief/VAVEL Bundesliga editor-in-chief and writer. Email: [email protected]