Dazzling Bayern surge past Dortmund

Leipzig win

BERLIN, Nov 4, (AFP): Bayern Munich stamped their authority on the Bundesliga on Saturday by opening a four-point lead as Robert Lewandowski netted an audacious goal in their commanding 3-1 win

at Borussia Dortmund.

Defending champions Bayern stay on course to win the German League for a sixth straight season after dominating the high-tempo showdown at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park.

A superb curling strike from Dutch playmaker Arjen Robben on 17 minutes put Bayern head before a cheeky backheel from Lewandowski deflected off a defender on its way to the back of Dortmund’s net on 37 minutes.

Bayern Munich’s Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben (left) and Dortmund’s defender Marcel Schmelzer vie for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga football match, Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich in Dortmund, west Germany, on Nov 4. (AFP)

Having missed Bayern’s 2-1 win at Celtic on Tuesday in the Champions League with a thigh injury, Lewandowski claimed his 11th league goal in as many games this season and is currently the Bundesliga’s top-scorer.

Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the top scorer last season in Germany just ahead of Lewandowski, has now failed to score in each of his last five games, but still has 10 goals in 11 league matches.

Left-back David Alaba was credited with Bayern’s third goal which flew into Dortmund’s net just ahead of Lewandowski’s outstretched foot on 67 minutes.

Defender Marc Barta, who was injured in April’s bomb attack on the Dortmund team bus, scored the hosts’ consolation goal two minutes from time.

The win leaves Bayern unbeaten in their seven games since Jupp Heynckes took charge at the end of September.

Third-placed Dortmund have now world champions’ high-profile friendly matches against England and France in the next 10 days.

Werner set up Yussuf Poulsen’s equaliser and then netted an 85thminute winner after the Brazilian Jonathas had given visitors Hanover the lead at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena.

The result got Leipzig back to winning ways after last week’s back-toback cup and league losses to Bayern and a 3-1 defeat at Porto in the Champions League.

Elsewhere Schalke, who are now undefeated in their last six games in all competitions, climbed to fourth -- level on 20 points with neighbours Dortmund -- with a 1-0 win at Freiburg.