Germany star Thomas Muller scored twice as Bayern Munich went back to the top of the Bundesliga table on Saturday with a 3-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Pep Guardiola’s Bayern impressed at Munich’s Allianz Arena in sealing their third straight league win to claim top place from Wolfsburg, who beat Schalke 3-0 on Friday without Manchester City-bound Kevin de Bruyne.
Muller and Dutch winger Arjen Robben both converted second-half penalties for Bayern as fellow Champions League side Leverkusen were well beaten.
Robben and Muller both buried second half penalties
Defending champions Bayern took the lead when Muller met Douglas Costa’s cross in the middle on 26 minutes, then converted a penalty after Arturo Vidal was pushed in the back by Leverkusen defender Roberto Hilbert on 59 minutes.
Robben then claimed his 11th penalty from 12 attempts in his Bundesliga career by drilling home a 71st-minute spot-kick as Hilbert was penalised after a Costa cross hit his armpit.
The 30-year-old ex-Germany defender was at fault for all three Bayern goals having also let Costa get away for the cross which led to Mueller’s first-half goal.
Leverkusen had a goal disallowed when Australia winger Robbie Kruse looked to have scored on 72 minutes, but the referee spotted him bringing the ball down with his upper arm.
Cologne, Mainz and Ingolstadt register wins
Earlier, Cologne’s impressive start to the season continued when they went third with a 2-1 comeback win at home to Hamburg after gleaning seven points from their opening three games.
After ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lewis Holtby put Hamburg ahead early in the second half, Cologne levelled through Philipp Hosiner on 76 minutes, but the game turned on a dubious red card and penalty.
Hamburg’s ex-Bosnia captain Emir Spahic was sent off for the slightest of touches on Cologne striker Anthony Modeste on 79 minutes.
The Frenchman gratefully drilled home the resulting penalty to the fury of the visitors’ bench.
Japan striker Yoshinori Muto warmed-up for his country’s World Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Saitama on Thursday with his first two Bundesliga goals in Mainz’s 3-0 win over Hanover.
The 23-year-old opened his account on just his third Bundesliga appearance on 15 minutes, then doubled his tally on 29 minutes when he headed home from a corner.
Centre-forward Yunus Malli claimed Mainz’s third by finishing off a sweeping counter-attack just after the break as Mainz moved up to fifth.
Socceroos forward Mathew Leckie also scored his first goal in Germany’s top flight in Ingolstadt’s 1-0 win at Bavarian rivals Augsburg.
The 24-year-old left winger, who has won 25 caps for Australia, curled a superb shot inside the left-hand post, which gave Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz no chance on 63 minutes.
.
Stuttgart linger at the bottom of the league after 4-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt
Ten-man Stuttgart are bottom after a 4-1 defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt as Poland goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton was sent off for the hosts.
Stuttgart fell behind when Czech defender Adam Hlousek scored an own-goal after 11 minutes before Daniel Didavi levelled with half an hour gone.
Dutch striker Luc Castaignos put Frankfurt 2-1 up at the break before Tyton’s dismissal for bringing down the former on 67 minutes.
Haris Seferovic converted the penalty and Castaignos claimed his second with his team’s fourth on 87 minutes.
Darmstadt are 11th after their third straight draw following a goalless effort at home to Hoffenheim.
Borussia Dortmund can reclaim top spot on goal difference by beating Hertha Berlin at home on Sunday before Werder Bremen host Borussia Moenchengladbach.
By AFP