Bayern make hard work of table-propping Hanover

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich stuttered to a 3-1 win over bottom club Hanover 96 on Saturday as substitute Jonathas scored and was sent off in 10 eventful minutes for the visitors.

The win took Bayern closer to a seventh consecutive Bundesliga title as it put them five points clear of Borussia Dortmund who visit Werder Bremen later on Saturday. Both teams have two games left after that.

Robert Lewandowski and Leon Goretzka put Bayern 2-0 ahead at halftime but what appeared to be a routine win took a different turn after Jonathas pulled one back from a contentious penalty, awarded for handball by Jerome Boateng, in the 51st minute.

The Brazilian was booked for tussling with goalkeeper Sven Ulreich as both tried to fetch the ball out of the net and then dismissed after clashing with Joshua Kimmich in the 55th minute.

Bayern struggled against 10 men and only wrapped up the game with a goal by veteran substitute Franck Ribery in the 84th minute.