An always absorbing clash between the Bundesliga’s top two finally turned on a Luca Toni strike deep into stoppage time, as the champions pulled level with the leaders on points after 16 games.
The 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw both teams serve up a breathless opening, before caution set in midway through the first half and the sides turned round with the game goalless.
Vedad Ibisevic and Philipp Lahm traded goals as the match exploded into life after the restart, the equaliser galvanising Bayern into a stirring assault on the Hoffenheim goal with the promoted side tiring by the minute.
Drama at the death
The men in red had much the better of the chances towards the end, but the game still seemed destined for a draw when Andreas Ibertsberger’s mistake let in the otherwise luckless Toni to net a truly last-gasp winner and send the home faithful into raptures.
With one game to go until the winter break, the sides are now joint top of the standings on 34 points, although Hoffenheim retain first place with a goal difference of +19 to Bayern's +15. Third-placed Hertha Berlin could yet pull to within a point of the top two should they beat crisis club Schalke away from home on Saturday.
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