Robert Lewandowski scored a hat trick to help Bayern Munich continue where it left off in the Bundesliga with a 5-0 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
The Poland star didn’t score in Bayern’s 4-0 defeat of Atlético Madrid in their Champions League opening game on Wednesday and evidently felt the need to atone as he took his tally to 10 goals in five Bundesliga games.
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Robert Lewandowski scored a hat trick to help Bayern Munich continue where it left off in the Bundesliga with a 5-0 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
The Lewandowski show started soon after. The forward was left in too much space and broke the deadlock in the 10th, then grabbed his second with a header inside the left post from a corner in the 25th, and he completed his hat trick in the 61st.
Hertha brought on Deyovaisio Zeefuik at the break. The Dutch defender was booked almost straight away and sent off with his second yellow card in the 50th.
Borussia Mönchengladbach came back to beat bottom club Mainz 3-2 away.
Bayern suffered an early blow with Alphonso Davies going off with what looked a bad ankle injury in the third minute. Lucas Hernández came on for the 19-year-old Canadian.
Robert Lewandowski of Munich, right, celebrates his side's second goal during a German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt in Munich, Gdermany, Saturday, Oct.24, 2020. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)
The Lewandowski show started soon after. The forward was left in too much space and broke the deadlock in the 10th, then grabbed his second with a header inside the left post from a corner in the 25th, and he completed his hat trick in the 61st.
His job done, Lewandowski was taken off in the 68th as Bayern coach Hansi Flick made three changes at once.
Leroy Sané came on for his injury comeback and marked the occasion with a fine goal inside the far post five minutes later, and the 17-year-old Jamal Musiala wrapped up the scoring in the last minute.
Robert Lewandowski of Munich celebrates his side's 2nd goal during a German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt in Munich, Gdermany, Saturday, Oct.24, 2020. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)
LEIPZIG STAYS TOP
Marcel Sabitzer’s late penalty was enough for Leipzig to stay atop the league with a 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin.
Jhon Cordoba fired Hertha into an early lead, but Dayot Upamecano showed persistence to provide a quick response.
Bayern's Leroy Sane, left, and Frankfurt's Martin Hinteregger battle for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Frankfurt, in the Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)
Hertha brought on Deyovaisio Zeefuik at the break. The Dutch defender was booked almost straight away and sent off with his second yellow card in the 50th.
Cordoba conceded the penalty for a foul on Willi Orban and Sabitzer decided the game in the 77th.
Leipzig stayed one point clear of Bayern after five games.
Bayern's Jamal Musiala, right, celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal of the game during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Frankfurt, in the Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)
HELP FROM CORNER FLAG
Hertha’s city rival Union Berlin had to be content with a 1-1 draw with Freiburg.
The corner flag kept the ball in play for Freiburg and Vincenzo Grifo curled his shot in off the far post in the 34th. But Union struck back thanks to Robert Andrich’s deflected shot two minutes later.
Leipzig's Benjamin Henrichs, left and Hertha's Matheus Cunha, vie for the ball, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between RP Leipzig and Hertha BSC, in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (Jan Woitasdpa-Zentralbild via AP)
Borussia Mönchengladbach came back to beat bottom club Mainz 3-2 away.
Borussia Dortmund was hosting Schalke for the Ruhr derby later.
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Schalke's players walk on the pitch in front of empty tribunes prior the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner, Pool)
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
