Lewandowski hat trick routs Hamburg
berlin — Bayern Munich gave Hamburger SV another thrashing at home in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a hat trick before coach Carlo Ancelotti took pity on the visitors.
Lewandowski was replaced with the score at 5-0 and more than half an hour to play.
Bayern leads Hamburg 45-3 on aggregate over eight straight defeats for the northern team in Munich. After several lackluster performances in the league, Bayern stepped up a level against Hamburg, playing at pace with determination and commitment, dominating possession and forcing the game.
It was only a matter of time before the first goal came. David Alaba ran at the Hamburg defense, found Thomas Mueller in the center, and the Germany forward laid it back for Arturo Vidal to rifle in the ball despite Rene Adler’s hand in the 17th. Lewandowski struck the crossbar from close range a minute later, but he claimed his 17th of the season from the penalty spot minutes later after Mergim Mavraj brought down Mueller.
His league-leading 18th came before the break, when Mueller chased down a hopeless-looking ball, pulled it back for Douglas Costa, who was blocked, only for Lewandowski to cleverly send the rebound in under the crossbar.
The Poland striker completed his hat trick in the 54th, set up with a back-heel from Arjen Robben, and he was involved in Bayern’s fifth goal too, sending Mueller through to set up Alaba two minutes later.
Ancelotti appeared to decide Lewandowski had done enough, taking him off straight away for Renato Sanchez to get some much-needed game time. Kingsley Coman, another player who hasn’t played much, came on in the 60th and grabbed a brace.
Mats Hummels’ long ball set up Coman’s first in the 65th, and he claimed his second four minutes later for 7-0 with 20 minutes still to play. Robben completed the scoring with one of his trademark goals from the right with three minutes remaining.
Bayern stayed five points clear of Leipzig after 22 games. Borussia Dortmund is third, 13 points behind Bayern.
Hertha Berlin hosted Eintracht Frankfurt later Saturday.
Emil Forsberg fired the home side into an early lead, set up by Timo Werner, but it could have been more with Leipzig causing all sorts of problems for the visiting defense. Only the crossbar denied Marcel Halstenberg, with Thomas Kessler forced to clear Werner’s header from the rebound off the line.
An own goal from Dominic Maroh in the 34th was just reward for the home side’s efforts, but Cologne improved after the break and Yuya Osako pulled one back early in the second half. —