Leverkusen crushes Bochum 4-0 to go into winter break in top spot

Leverkusen, unbeaten in the league, was unstoppable after a slow start and struck three times in 15 minutes to kill of the game in the first half.

Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the German Bundesliga match between Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Bochum at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany. | Photo Credit: MARTIN MEISSNER/ AP

Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick scored a first half hat-trick to guide it to a 4-0 victory over VfL Bochum on Wednesday and send it into the winter break in top spot with a four-point advantage.

Leverkusen, unbeaten in the league, was unstoppable after a slow start and struck three times in 15 minutes to kill of the game in the first half. The league resumes on January 12.

The 27-year-old Czech forward drilled in a penalty on the half hour mark and then slotted in his second goal of the evening in the 32nd after a low cross into the box from Jeremie Frimpong.

He completed his hat-trick in stoppage time heading in an Alejandro Grimaldo corner.

Leverkusen added a fourth with substitute Victor Boniface in the 69th.

Leverkusen ends the year on 42 points in top spot, four ahead of Bayern Munich, which has a game in hand. VfB Stuttgart is third on 34.