Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick as the Bundesliga leaders mercilessly obliterated Hamburg SV 8-0 on Saturday with coach Carlo Ancelotti celebrating his 1,000th game as manager.
The win kept Bayern five points clear at the top as they again inflicted on their opponents their heaviest league defeat.
The Pole, who has netted 19 times in the Bundesliga this season, struck twice in the first half and slotted in his third goal in the 54th minute after Arturo Vidal had put the hosts ahead in the 17th.
Photo: Reuters
Strugglers Hamburg had been confident they would not be the punch bags of past matches between the sides, having also lost 8-0 in Munich two years ago, and they had been unbeaten in their previous three games, but they looked shell-shocked as they conceded another goal by David Alaba in the 56th minute, before substitute Kingsley Coman scored twice more within five minutes a little later.
Arjen Robben struck on the break as Hamburg again capitulated to the Bundesliga champions and league leaders.
“A perfect day, a perfect game,” Ancelotti said. “The team played an outstanding game and I could not be happier. I told my players before the game that I wanted a good match for my anniversary. I never thought it would be that good. I hope we show the same attitude in our next game.”
Bayern never gave Hamburg a chance, making amends for their last-gasp 1-1 draw at Hertha BSC the previous weekend.
They had 75 percent possession in the first half alone and could have added to their tally with Lewandowski also hitting the woodwork.
“I think we did not win a single one-on-one throughout the entire first half,” Hamburg goalkeeper Rene Adler said. “It’s just intolerable.”
Second-placed RB Leipzig stayed five points off the pace after beating Cologne 3-1, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ended his goal drought after 471 minutes to score twice as Borussia Dortmund tightened their hold on third place with a 3-0 victory at SC Freiburg.
Hertha BSC defeated 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 with goals from Vedad Ibisevic and Vladimir Darida to leapfrog their opponents into fifth place.
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