Gomez scores hat-trick as Bayern hammer Hoffenheim
Germany striker Mario Gomez netted a hat-trick in Bayern Munich's 7-1 dem- olition of Hoffenheim on Saturday as the Bavarians trimmed the gap behind German league leaders Dortmund to four points.
With defending champions Dortmund playing relegation-threatened Augsburg on Saturday night.
Bayern started with a bang as Gomez put a pass out to Thomas Mueller whose shot was parried only for the striker to fire home after five minutes.
BERLIN, March 10, 2012 (AFP) – Germany striker Mario Gomez netted a hat-trick in Bayern Munich's 7-1 demolition of Hoffenheim on Saturday as the Bavarians trimmed the gap behind German league leaders Dortmund to four points.
With defending champions Dortmund playing relegation-threatened Augsburg on Saturday night, Bayern took the chance to cut their lead and give themselves a confidence boost ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash.
Bayern badly needed a win ahead of their Round of 16 home clash against FC Basel when they must over-turn a 1-0 defeat from the away leg.
With Bayern already licking their wounds from last weekend's 20 defeat at Leverkusen, reports coach Jupp Heynckes will quit at the end of the season also circulated in midweek, although he later insisted he will see out the 15 months left on his contract.
Bayern responded to the pressure by blitzing Hoffenheim with five goals in exactly 30 minutes during a devastating first-half performance.
Dutch winger Arjen Robben then converted a penalty to put them 2-0 up after 11 minutes.
The third came just seven minutes later when Germany midfielder Toni Kroos fired home from 25 metres and Robben made it 4-0 with less than half an hour played after a defence splitting-pass from France wing Franck Ribery.
The rout continued as Gomez headed home a Ribery cross on 34 minutes and the Germany striker wrapped up his hat-trick with a second header from a Robben corner on 48 minutes.
Having created three of Bayern's goals, Ribery then claimed his own for Bayern's seventh on 58 minutes before Bayern's Luiz Gustavo netted a late own-goal for Hoffenheim.