Bayern Munich 6 Wolfsburg 0: Lewandowski breaks Bundesliga record as champion goes top

Borussia Dortmund's time at the top of the Bundesliga is over after champion Bayern Munich won 6-0 at home to Wolfsburg.

Published : Mar 09, 2019 23:17 IST

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski became the leading foreign goalscorer in Bundesliga history on Saturday.
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski became the leading foreign goalscorer in Bundesliga history on Saturday.
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Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski became the leading foreign goalscorer in Bundesliga history on Saturday.

Robert Lewandowski became the leading foreign goalscorer in Bundesliga history as Bayern Munich hammered Wolfsburg 6-0 to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund and move top of the table.

Borussia Dortmund beat a struggling Stuttgart side 3-1 but Niko Kovac's team collected its 12th win in 13 league games to ensure it became the new league leader on goal difference.

Bayern has never lost at home to Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga and first-half goals from Serge Gnabry - who signed a new contract this week - and Lewandowski set up a comfortable victory at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

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After the break James Rodriguez, Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich added to the scoreline, with Lewandowski scoring his second, and Bayern got the perfect boost ahead of a Champions League second leg against Liverpool by moving above BVB despite its win.

Lewandowski hit five goals in nine minutes off the bench against Wolfsburg in the 2015-16 season but he wasted an early chance by failing to control a lofted Muller pass.

Yannick Gerhardt headed Maximilian Arnold's corner over the crossbar, then Bayern took the lead in the 34th minute.

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Kimmich's stepovers left Arnold dazzled and Muller pulled the ball back for Gnabry to nudge in from close range, the winger then creating a second goal within three minutes.

A throughball from James found Gnabry and he unselfishly squared for Lewandowski to tap in and pass veteran former Bayern forward Claudio Pizarro on the list of foreign goalscorers.

James scored the third himself in the 52nd minute, beating Koen Casteels with a placed 20-yard finish, the goalkeeper later making a fine save to tip over Muller's drive.

But the Bayern forward would not be denied again in the 76th minute, slotting home Franck Ribery's pass to end a week that saw him dropped from the Germany squad on a high.

And although Dortmund got back in front against Stuttgart, Kimmich and Lewandowski added late headers from Ribery centres to boost Bayern's more impressive goal difference further.


What does it mean? Pivotal twist in title race

Bayern could not be doing more to put pressure on Dortmund, which had been top since its sixth game of the season. It might yet go right down to the wire but with Bayern now leading the table, few would bet against the champion winning what would be its seventh title in a row.

Gnabry's fine form continues

Lewandowski's record-breaking exploits take the headlines but a goal and an assist in the space of three first-half minutes saw Gnabry play a huge part in setting up Bayern's latest win.

The winger has now scored seven Bundesliga goals this season - also hitting a double in the DFB-Pokal last month - and it is easy to see why Bayern wanted to secure his long-term future. 

It was telling Gnabry was rested and taken off by Kovac after the third goal - he is now key - although substitute Ribery created three goals after coming off the bench to give the Bayern boss a decision to make against Liverpool.


More Bayern misery for Labbadia

Wolfsburg head coach Bruno Labbadia has now lost his last 15 competitive matches against Bayern, extending his own unwanted Bundesliga record against one of the clubs he represented as a player.


What's next?

Muller and Kimmich are suspended for Bayern's last-16 second leg at home to Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday. Kovac's men continue their title charge when Mainz visits the Allianz Arena four days later. Next for Wolfsburg is Fortuna Dusseldorf at home on Saturday.

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