Bayern Munich came from a goal down to overpower Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 on Saturday to stay seven points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of Germany’s Bundesliga.
Leverkusen were without their in-form midfielder, Kai Havertz who missed the game due to a muscle injury sustained in his side’s last game – a 1-0 win at Freiburg.
The hosts did not let that setback deter them as they raced into a 10th minute lead at the BayArena through Lucas Alario who snapped Bayern’s offside trap to slot home from close range past a badly-exposed Manuel Neuer.
Bayern did not panic, certain that their overwhelming and superior quality will carry them over the line and so it proved as they got back on level terms through Kingsley Coman who, with time and space at his disposal, kept his cool to curl past the Leverkusen goalkeeper, Lukas Hradecky for the game’s leveler.
Three minutes before the break, Leon Goretzka’s left-footed strike somehow evaded Hradecky as the visitors got their noses in front the first time.
Barely 60 seconds later, Serge Gnabry wasted an excellent opportunity to give Bayern a two-goal cushion when he saw his shot from point blank range saved by Hradecky.
The German international however made amends seconds later when he chipped past the onrushing Hradecky for Bayern’s third.
Robert Lewandowski made the points safe with a stunning head off a Thomas Mueller cross in the 66th minute.
Florian Wirtz netted a consolation for the hosts seconds before the end but Bayern were not to be denied a big win.
Bayern have now amassed 70 points from 30 matches this season.
Dortmund stay in second place, seven points adrift of Bayern with a 1-0 win over Hertha BSC at Signal Iduna Park.
Emre Can scored the game’s solitary goal just before the hour to keep the title race mathematically alive.
Third-placed RasenBallsport Leipzig suffered late heartbreak, dropping two points at home as the bottom club, SC Paderborn 07 snatched a late 1-1 draw at the Red Bull Arena, Leipzig.
Patrick Schick opened the scoring in the 27th minute but Christian Strohdiek equalized for the visitors at the death.
At the Commerzbank Arena, Moussa Niakhate and substitute Kunde Malong scored as FSV Mainz 05 secured a 2-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt to boost their chances of avoiding relegation.
In Düsseldorf, a goal in each half by Rouwen Hennings gave Fortuna a 2-2 draw at home to 10-man Hoffenheim whose goals were netted by Munas Dabbur and Munas Dabbur.
