Lewandowski Hits Hat-trick As Bayern Munich Rout Frankfurt
By AFP
Robert Lewandowski took his Bundesliga tally to 10 goals in five games this season with a hat-trick as Bayern Munich thumped Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 on Saturday.
Defending champions Bayern have scored 22 goals this term — 10 more than league leaders RB Leipzig who stayed top with a 2-1 win over 10-man Hertha Berlin.
Bayern sit one point behind in second place.
In Munich, Leroy Sane marked his return from injury with the fourth goal during a brief cameo, before England Under-17 midfielder Jamal Musiala also came off the bench to net the fifth.
However, Bayern’s victory could come at a price as Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies was in clear distress after going off early with an ankle injury.
Lewandowski underlined his status as one of the world’s best strikers last season by scoring a career-best 55 goals in 47 games, including 34 in the Bundesliga.
The Polish international opened the scoring on 10 minutes when he fired home after a Thomas Mueller pass.
Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp couldn’t do anything to stop Lewandowski’s header from a Joshua Kimmich corner in the 26th minute.
Bayern had a penalty appeal turned down when Douglas Costa’s cross clipped the hand of Frankfurt’s Makoto Hasebe.
Lewandowski wrapped up the victory on the hour mark with a clinical finish from another Costa cross.
After sitting out the last two games, Sane ghosted past a defender and drove a shot into the bottom corner with 18 minutes to play.
Manuel Neuer pulled off a great save to deny Frankfurt striker Bas Dost before Musiala grabbed the final goal as the visitors suffered their first league defeat of the season.