BERLIN (Reuters) - Bayern Munich struggled to a scrappy 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday but it was still enough to stretch their Bundesliga lead to eight points and make sure they will stay top when the winter break starts this month.
The German champions, who showed none of the spark that lifted them to a 3-1 win over Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, needed an Arturo Vidal header in the 20th minute to edge past the hosts, who have the league's second-best defence.
Bayern moved eight points clear of RB Leipzig who drew 2-2 with Mainz 05. There are two matchdays left until the winter break.
Schalke 04 stayed third, a point behind on 26, after drawing 1-1 against Borussia Moenchengladbach courtesy of defender Jannik Vestergaard's own goal on the hour.
"It was a hard piece of work for us today," Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes told reporters. "The (unofficial) 'autumn championship' is not that important. What is important is that we won and extended our lead."
Bayern are chasing a record-extending sixth consecutive Bundesliga title.
"The table looks good and so does the lead but I will not be shooting off any fireworks," Heynckes said.
Borussia Dortmund's dire season continued with a 2-1 home loss to strugglers Werder Bremen which is likely to hasten the departure of coach Peter Bosz.
Dortmund, without a league win since late September, walked off amid loud jeers and whistles from their fans as they dropped to seventh place on 22 points.
Dortmund's top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang briefly gave them hope when he cancelled out Maximilian Eggestein's 26th- minute lead but Theodor Gebre Selassie scored the winner in the 65th with the hosts failing to pose any serious threat.
"It is difficult to talk to the team after such a loss," Dutchman Bosz said. "We had to win this game. I have never seen a worse first half since I came here."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann,; editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge)
