BERLIN – Robert Lewandowski grabbed a hat trick as Bayern Munich romped to a 6-0 victory over crisis-stricken Hamburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The victory keeps Bayern on course to wrap up another Bundesliga title – their sixth in a row – before the end of March, and heaps misery on Hamburg, who are now without a win in 13 games.
Bayern have made a habit of recording big home wins over Hamburg at the Allianz Arena in recent years, and it took them less than eight minutes to take the lead this time.
Franck Ribery broke away on the left before rounding goalkeeper Christian Mathenia to slot in the opener.
Just four minutes later, Lewandowski headed in a Joshua Kimmich cross to double the lead for Bayern.
The Polish international struck again in the 19th minute, after a pinpoint long ball from Jerome Boateng had opened up the Hamburg defence.
Arjen Robben fired in Bayern’s fourth on 55 minutes, and Ribery made it five with a mazy solo run in the 80th minute.
Lewandowski blasted one penalty over the bar on 85 minutes, before converting a second spot-kick minutes from time to complete his hat trick.
His latest exploits in front of goal mean he is now Bayern’s all-time leading foreign goal-scorer with 141 from 182 games in all competitions, overtaking the Brazilian Giovane Elber, who played for the club from 1997 to 2003.
Bayern now hold a 20-point lead at the top of the table over Schalke, who won 1-0 at Mainz on Friday, while Hamburg remain seven points adrift of safety as they seek to avoid a first relegation in their history.
Elsewhere, former Hamburg player Michael Gregoritsch scored a brace to inspire Augsburg to a 3-1 away win over Hanover 96.
Gregoritsch fired Augsburg in front on 26 minutes, heading in a deep cross from Caiuby at the far post.
Salif Sané levelled the scores with a brilliant volley 10 minutes later, but Gojko Kacar headed Augsburg back in front on the stroke of half-time.
In the 83rd minute, an Augsburg counter-attack saw Gregoritsch secure victory for the away side.
Freiburg held Hertha Berlin to a 0-0 draw, while Bruno Labbadia is still without a win as Wolfsburg coach after watching his side lose 3-0 to Hoffenheim.