Arjen Robben scores as Bayern Munich grind out win in Berlin

Arjen Robben's superb first half goal was enough to give Bayern Munich a narrow away win over a spirited Hertha Berlin side.

Bayern dominated the first half and could have been ahead inside three minutes when Robert Lewandowski put over the bar from close-range.

Bayern eventually took a deserved lead through Robben, whose first-time shot from Thomas Mueller's lay-off bent inside the post, despite goalkeeper Thomas Kraft getting a hand to it.

Chances came and went for Bayern to extend their lead, with an increasingly perplexed Pep Guardiola rueing the missed opportunities in front goal.

Many of those openings fell to Lewandowski, who was denied on three separate occasions by former Bayern goalkeeper Kraft, who had an inspired game in the Hertha goal.

Hertha had the ball in the net on the hour mark when Hajime Hosagai turned it in from close range, but the Japanese forward was offside after the Bayern defence quickly stepped up.

Bayern, whose 10-point lead will revert to seven if Wolfsburg beat Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday, held on for a narrow victory but will return to Munich knowing they were some way off their ruthless best.

3' - CHANCE! Almost a goal for Bayern inside three minutes! Mueller finds space on the right and fires in an early low cross to an outstretched Lewandowski, who puts it just over.

27' - GOAL! Bayern 1-0 Hertha Berlin: Robben opens the scoring for Bayern with a cracker. Mueller lays it off on the edge of the box and Robben bends it inside the post from 20 yards. Kraft got a hand to it, but there was no stopping that!

30' - CHANCE! Another opening for Bayern as Robben turns provider with a little chip into Mueller's path, but the Germany international can't keep his shot on target as he tries to catch it on the half volley.

59' - VITAL BLOCK! Chance for Hertha on the break! Stocker breaks forward and Bayern have Alonso to thank for a vital diving tackle as the cross came in.

61' - GOAL DISALLOWED! Hosagai turns the ball in for Hertha from close range... but the Hertha forward is flagged offside!

83' CHANCE! Big miss by Lewandowski, who is played in by Robben but cannot dig the ball out from under his feet and Kraft comes out to make a good save.

Today's opening goal was Robben's first away goal for Bayern since 27 November 2013.

The goal was Bayern's sixth from outside the box, more than any other Bundesliga team this season.

This was Franck Ribery's 185th Bundesliga appearance, equalling the record for French players set by Matthieu Delpierre.

Can Bayern go the season unbeaten? Yes. No one looks capable of stopping Guardiola's team on the domestic front this season and surely the club has one eye on going the whole season unbeaten. And with one of their traditional rivals Borussia Dortmund struggling so badly, only Wolfsburg, Leverkusen and Borussia Moenchengladbach look capable of giving Bayern a run for their money.

Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) - The scorer of a fine opener and Bayern's key attacking force throughout the game. Thomas Kraft had a blinder in the Hertha goal but the Dutchman takes it for an outstanding overall contribution on a day when it wasn't made easy for the champions.

Hertha Berlin: Kraft 8, Brooks 6, Hegeler 7, Schulz 7, Ndjeng 6, Stocker 7, Skjelbred 7, Hosogai 5, Ben-Hatira 6, Beerens 6, Schieber 6. Subs: Kalou 7, Ronny 7, Haraguchi 6.

Bayern Munich: Neuer 7; Alonso 7, Dante 7, Ribery 7, Lewandowski 6, Robben 8, Rafinha 7, Boateng 7, Bernat 7, Goetze 6, Mueller 6. Subs: Rode 6, Schweinsteiger 7.