Ten-man Bayern Munich scored two early goals without injured midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and survived a comeback by Augsburg to reclaim a five-point lead atop the Bundesliga with a 2-1 victory.
Playing their first game since Schweinsteiger broke his collarbone in the Champions League, Mario Gomez gave Bayern the lead after 16 minutes.
Franck Ribery made it 2-0 at the 28 minute mark before Hajime Hosogai pulled a goal back for the hosts Augsburg in the 59th minute.
Munich finished with 10 men as Anatoliy Tymoshchuk was shown a red card three minutes into stoppage time.
Munich collected their third straight victory since their loss against Hannover and have 28 points - five points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Augsburg, who had never played against Bayern in the Bundesliga, have collected just one point in their last three games and are last with eight points.
With 19-year-old Austrian David Alaba filling in for Schweinsteiger, Bayern grabbed the lead after 16 minutes at a set-piece as Ribery's corner was headed on by Daniel van Buyten to the far right post where Gomez put the ball in from two yards out.
Munich doubled their advantage 12 minutes later with keeper Manuel Neuer kicking a long ball forward.
The ball went through Gomez and Thomas Muller to Ribery, who dummied Augsburg defender Dominik Reinhardt and then beat keeper Mohamed Amsif with a shot to the far post.
Bayern lacked the creativity to score early in the second half and Augsburg pulled a goal back after 59 minutes.
Munich could not clear a corner with Daniel Brinkman heading to the right side of the box where Hosogai unleashed a blast from eight yards out. Alaba tried to clear the ball but it had already crossed the line.
Augsburg dominated play after that, really pressuring Munich but the hosts missed a golden chance to equalise in the 83rd minute as Edmond Kapllani was fed a through ball but he could not beat Neuer.
Tymoshchuk was red-carded three minutes into stoppage time for his foul on Daniel Baier.
